US hydropower sector could increase 50% by 2050: report
The US hydropower sector has huge potential, according to a new report from the country’s Department of Energy. Current US hydropower has a capacity of 101 GW, but this could increase by 50% by 2050. The report reveals that of the country’s 80,000 dams, only 2,000 at present have power production – but argues that more could be equipped to produce energy. The benefits of hydropower include reduced greenhouse-gas emissions and air pollution and lower consumption of water for cooling power plants. However, hydropower can have negative impacts upon vegetation and wildlife and can also produce methane.
Executive Summary

The Hydropower Vision analysis finds that U.S. hydropower could grow from 101 gigawatts (GW) of capacity in 2015 to nearly 150 GW by 2050. Under this scenario, $209 billion in savings from avoided global damages from greenhouse gas emissions is possible, including $185 billion from continuing to operate the existing hydropower fleet through 2050. With this deployment level, more than 35 million average U.S. homes could be powered by hydropower in 2050.

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