The 2023 World Hydropower Congress ended on the 2nd, in Indonesia, and left us with many reflections, as well as a mark on the promotion of sustainable growth. More than 300 organizations of 43 countries – including Intertechne – participated in the event, highlighting the crucial role of hydroelectricity in transition to a green and sustainable global economy.
“It is a biennial event that we could not fail to attend. In addition to being the world’s leading event in the area of hydroelectricity, we wanted to be in the center of the debate about sustainability and the importance of hydraulic on energetic transition”, comments the Director of Intertechne’s Water and Energy Unit, José Pinheiro Machado, who represented us during the event.
The Congress marked the inauguration of the new president of International Hydropower Association (IHA), Malcolm Turnbull, former Prime Minister of Australia, emphasized that sustainable hydroelectricity will be the backbone of energy future systems. The opening of the Congress was made by the President of the Republic of Indonesia, Joko Widodo, which reinforced the commitment to develop the sustainable hydroelectricity in the country.
Intertechne is one of the members of International Hydropower Association (IHA). When participating of IHA, Intertechne defends the importance of hydroelectric power plants in the so-called energetic transition and recognize its role in the search for projects that are innovative and, above all, sustainable.
The IHA aims to promote and encourage sustainable hydropower projects, showing importance for the sustainability society in dam to hydroelectric works, emphasizing that we can build a world where where energy and water needs can be met in a 100% renewable way.
One of the highlights of WHC 2023 was the launch of Hydropower Sustainability Alliance (HAS), a non-profit and multi-stakeholder organization that aims to increase the transparency in the industry. HSA introduced a rigorous sustainability assessment and certification system of hydroelectric projects, as well as a robust capacity building program.
The Congress also resulted in the release of Bali Declaration about Sustainable Growth. This release highlights sustainable hydroelectricity as the backbone of national strategies to build low-carbon economies, driven by clean and renewable energy.
The declaration recommendation includes the planning to future energetic needs, incentives for the sustainable hydroelectricity development, acceleration of the development of renewable energies and the incorporation of hydroelectricity sustainable practices in government regulations and financial sector obligations.
According to Pinheiro, this is the future here in Latin America and Intertechne is closely observing this movement. “The Americas, more specifically Brazil, has a high storage capacity in the country and an even greater potential for growth in the renewable area. Including a great example of this is our Aña Cua project that we presented during the event. Intertechne is prepared to this new moment of sustainable energy!”, ressalts.
A new sustainable world
Intertechne played an important role in the event. First, the company had a booth, which was visited by delegates from various parts in the world. The Water and Energy Director, José Pinheiro Machado, was one of the participants in the panel “Powering the Energy Transition in the Americas”, in which he presented a vision of the moment of electricity generation in Brazil and what are the prospects to hydroelectric generation in the near future in the country.
In addition, Pinheiro also presented, at the “Innovators Corner” the general concept of the Aña Cuá project, on the border between Uruguay and Argentina. The project is an expansion of Yaciretá plant, and consists of construction of a new powerhouse, with 270 MW, without interruption of generation at the main plant and without interfering with the 1,600 km² reservoir.
Considered an unprecedented work in the world’s dam engineering by Water and Energy Unit Director and Civil Engineer José Pinheiro Machado, the work has the most experients geotechnicians of Intertechne.
This congress not only celebrated significant achievements in the sector, but also laid a solid foundation for sustainable growth, leading the way to Conference of the Parties (COP28) with a clear message about the centrality of sustainable hydroelectricity in the global transition to net zero.
