Editing Small hydro (section)

==Growth==
Between 2005 and 2010, China planned to electrify a further 10,000 villages under their [[China Village Electrification Program]], including further investments in small hydro and [[photovoltaics]].<ref name="REN21-2006">[http://www.ren21.net/globalstatusreport/download/RE_GSR_2006_Update.pdf Renewables Global Status Report 2006 Update] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070614121733/http://www.ren21.net/globalstatusreport/download/RE_GSR_2006_Update.pdf|date=2007-06-14}}, ''[[REN21]]'', published 2006, accessed 2007-05-16</ref> By 2010, China had 45,000 small hydro installations, especially in rural areas, producing 160 Twh annually.<ref>https://www.irena.org/DocumentDownloads/Publications/RE_Technologies_Cost_Analysis-HYDROPOWER.pdf pg12</ref> Over 50% of the world's potential small hydro power was found in Asia; however, a report noted that "It is possible in the future that more small hydropower potential might be identified both on the African and American continents".<ref>{{cite web |title=World Small Hydro Power Development Report 2016 |url=http://www.inshp.org/article.asp?id=471 |access-date=29 April 2015 |publisher=ICSHP}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=UNIDO, ICSHP Launch Small Hydropower Knowledge Sharing Portal |url=http://energy-l.iisd.org/news/unido-icshp-launch-small-hydropower-knowledge-sharing-portal |access-date=29 April 2015 |publisher=Sustainable Energy Policy and Practice}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Small Hydropower, a promising technology for rural electrification |date=14 May 2013 |url=http://www.energias-renovables.com/articulo/small-hydropower-a-promising-technology-for-rural-20130514 |access-date=29 April 2015 |publisher=www.energias-renovables.com}}</ref>

In the mountains and rain forests of [[British Columbia]], Canada there are a great many sites suitable for hydro development. However environmental concerns towards large reservoirs after the 1980s halted new dam construction. The solution to coping with increased demand was to offer contracts to [[Independent power producers in British Columbia|independent power producers]], who have built 100 [[Run-of-the-river hydroelectricity|run of the river]] projects under 50 MW. Power production without reservoirs varies dramatically, but older conventional dams retain or release water to average out production though the year. In 2014 these independent producers generated 18,000 GWh from 4,500 MW of capacity.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bchydro.com/energy-in-bc/acquiring_power/meeting_energy_needs/how_power_is_acquired.html|title=About Independent Power Projects|access-date=9 March 2017|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160206095445/https://www.bchydro.com/energy-in-bc/acquiring_power/meeting_energy_needs/how_power_is_acquired.html|archive-date=6 February 2016}}</ref>

As of 2022, the global capacity (for projects ≤10 MW) is approximately 79.0 GW, with China holding over 53% of the world's SHP installed capacity. Under this definition (≤10 MW), installed SHP capacity increased by 11% in the Americas from 2019 to 2022. Because of local differences in SHP definitions, it is likely that the installed capacity of SHPs across the globe is higher than these totals. Countries such as China, India, and Brazil, are significantly expanding their small hydro capacity in the 21st century. <ref name=":03" /> The continents of Asia, Africa and the Americas hold the most potential for small hydro power growth.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=UNIDO |last2=Power |first2=International Center on Small Hydro |date=2022 |title=World Small Hydropower Development Report 2022 :: global overview /: United Nations Industrial Development Organization |url=https://digitallibrary.un.org/record/4025088?v=pdf |language=en}}</ref>[[Image:AmesHydro,CO.jpg|thumb|right|An 1895 hydroelectric plant near [[Telluride, Colorado]].]]