World Hydroelectricity Statistics

Currently, hydroelectricity is the world's overwhelming renewable energy of choice.

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According to the most recent statistics from the Energy Information Administration (EIA), in 2004 hydroelectricity contributed 2,746.88 billion kilowatthours of electricity to states around the world. All other renewable energy sources such as geothermal, solar, wind, contributed 334.27 billion kilowatthours of electricity.

Figure 1 below shows the percentage of hydroelectricity generation according to geographical regions. It shows that the vast majority of hydroelectric production (almost 88%) is evenly distributed across four of the seven regions listed: Asia/Oceania - 24.2%; North America 22.8%; Central/South America 21%; and Europe 19.8%.

Eurasia, consisting of Russia and neighbors represents the second tier of hydroelectric production, accounting for 8.5% of total world hydroelectric production.

Africa (3.2%) and the Middle East (0.5%) contribute the least amount to global hydroelectric production.

While hydroelectricity leads as a renewable energy source of electricity generation, a closer examination of the statistics shows that its popularity is based on the activities of ten states. Together their hydroelectricity generation accounts for approximately 66% of total world production. The chart below lists them.

Top Ten Hydroelectricity Producing States in 2004

• Canada - 334.25
• China - 327.68
• Brazil - 317.59
• United States - 268.42
• Russia - 165.33
• Norway - 107.68
• Japan - 93.55
• India - 83.76
• Sweden - 63.52
• Venezuela - 62.06

Source: Energy Information Administration. International Energy Annual 2004.

© 2007. Patricia A. Michaels