Renewable energy from hydropower for SumatraThe power supply on the Indonesian island of Sumatra is still heavily dependent on fossil energy, and the population's demand for electricity is growing.
Our carbon offset project in the north of Sumatra contributes to feeding more electricity from renewable energies into the power grid and improving the security of supply. The run-of-river hydroelectric power plant uses the flow of the Asahan River for energy production and the natural lake Toba as water inflow. This way, the project does not require large dams, which keeps the impact on the environment low. Electricity is generated by two 90 megawatt turbines, which supply about 1,208,500 megawatt hours annually. This saves an average of 1,021,070 tonnes of CO2 annually that would otherwise have been released through the use of fossil fuels.
In addition, the project has created around 30 long-term jobs for the operation and maintenance of the plant.
How hydropower contributes to climate actionHydropower plants use the energy of water to generate electricity. The energy is harnessed by passing water through a turbine. Under the pressure of the water, the turbine turns and transfers this energy to a generator, which converts kinetic energy into electricity. This principle applies to all types of hydroelectric power plants: from small run-of-river power plants to pumped-storage power plants on bodies of water like lakes. In many parts of the world, electricity is still primarily generated from fossil fuels. Clean hydropower can replace some of this emission-intensive energy and thus verifiably save carbon emissions. In most hydropower projects, the electricity is fed into a regional power grid, diversifying the energy supply and improving energy security in areas affected by power shortages and blackouts. Often, these projects also create jobs for the local population. Hydropower projects thus make an important contribution to clean energy supply as well as contributing to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Hydopower projects in the ClimatePartner portfolio are registered with international standards.
