Sustainable small scale hydropower in BrazilThis project activity involves the construction of the Itaguaçu Small Hydro Power Plant (SHP) with an installed capacity of 14.22MW. The Itaguaçu SHP is located in the city of Pitanga in the Brazilian state of Paraná and was commissioned in 2013. The aim of the project is to feed electrical energy from a renewable source into the Brazilian electricity grid and thus contribute to meeting the growing demand for energy in Brazil. Without this project, electrical energy in the region would mainly be generated by burning fossil fuels. Therefore, the project activity offers a sustainable alternative for electricity generation, as it consists of a small hydropower plant with a small reservoir.
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.
