In a landmark moment for the renewable energy sector, the Hydropower Sustainability Alliance (HSA) was officially launched at the World Hydropower Congress, marking a significant step towards enhanced sustainability in hydropower projects.
The HSA, a non-profit organization driven by collaboration between both public and private sectors, aims to promote transparency in the hydropower industry through a rigorous sustainability assessment and certification system, coupled with an extensive capacity-building program.
Dr. Ashok Khosla, President of the HSA, emphasized the pivotal role of hydropower in achieving sustainable development, meeting renewable energy targets, and combatting climate change. “I am excited to be part of taking the next step as president of the HSA. The Alliance will bring greater attention to the need for credible systems to incentivise the best
projects. Providing communities, governments and investors greater confidence in their net benefits and how impacts on the local environment can be mitigated,” he said.
At the launch event, Dr. Khosla was joined by representatives from hydropower owners who recently received the first-ever Gold certifications in their respective regions. These companies included Hydro-Québec (Eastmain-1 Development) from North America, Jirau Energia (Jirau Hydropower Plant) from South America, Pamir Energy (Sebzor Hydropower Project) from Central Asia, and Urja Developers (Mai Beni project) from South Asia.
Edson Silva, CEO of Jirau Energia, highlighted the significance of hydropower in Brazil's energy landscape and its responsibility to minimize adverse social and environmental effects. He expressed hope that Jirau's success would inspire other hydropower projects worldwide to continually improve and demonstrate their commitment to sustainability.
Joao Costa, the newly appointed Executive Director of the HSA, underlined the alliance's dedication to expanding the adoption of sustainability principles in hydropower. This includes incorporating the HS Standard into financial and corporate mechanisms, civil society expectations, and government regulations. Costa reported that the private sector's early adopters had already received certification this year, and many more were preparing to meet the HSA's stringent environmental, social, and governance (ESG) criteria while showcasing their dedication to sustainability.
This groundbreaking initiative can be explored further on the HSA's official website, HS-alliance.org. As the World Hydropower Congress continues in Bali from October 31 to November 2, it is expected that discussions around hydropower sustainability and its role in the global energy transition will remain at the forefront of the agenda. For more information about the event, visit worldhydropowercongress.org.
