Hydropower supports independent energy supplyThe regional power grid in the Louang Namtha region in northern Laos is mainly supplied with energy from fossil fuels. In addition, there is a significant gap between the demand and the supply, so the energy had to be partly imported from China.
The energy that this climate project generates through hydropower is not only renewable, but also cheaper than the energy purchased from China. Therefore, this hydropower project contributes to a stable, sustainable and independent energy supply in the region.
The hydropower plant on the Nam Long with a total capacity of five megawatts generates approximately 37 gigawatt hours per year. By feeding electricity into the regional grid, less fossil energy is needed, so the project saves about 20,860 tonnes of CO2 annually.
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.
