Hydropower generation in Europe 2021, by country

In 2021, Norway was the largest hydropower producing country in Europe, with some 144 terawatt-hours generated. Norway is also the leading European country in terms of installed hydropower capacity. Sweden ranked second in terms of hydropower generation in the region, with 71 terawatt-hours.

The European leader in hydropower

Norway produces around 90 percent of its electricity from hydropower, whereas globally, hydropower accounts for less than 20 percent of the overall power generation. Famous for its fjords, high mountains and steep valleys, Norway’s topography is perfectly suited for hydroelectricity development. With its first hydropower plant dating as back as 1891 – located in the northern town of Hammerfest – the Nordic country is now home to more than 1,600 hydropower plants.

Types of hydropower plants

There are three main types of hydropower plants. The most common are impoundment plants, in which a dam stores water from a river creating a reservoir. The water is then released to spin a turbine coupled to a generator that – ultimately – produces electricity. Another type are diversion plants, which may not require the use of a dam. Instead, these facilities funnel a portion of the water flow through a canal, using the natural inclination of the riverbed to generate energy. Lastly, pumped storage hydropower facilities store the electricity produced by other sources by pumping water from a lower elevation reservoir to a higher elevation.