Editorial to Hydro News Americas
Dear Business Friend,
Home to around one billion people, the Americas stretch from the industrialized north to the developing economies of the south and across all climate zones. Despite its rich diversity there is a common denominator – electricity production from hydropower.
With a total installed capacity of about 329 GW and a future potential of more than 4,000 TWh, including Brazil, the USA and Canada as three of the world’s largest hydropower producers, it is a clear focus region for hydropower players.
The immediate demands of each country are certainly different, for example large rehabilitation projects in Canada and the USA or mid-size new plants and upgrades in Mexico and Central America. Large new installations are a major driver in Brazil and a chance to exploit the high head potential of the Andes is pushing project developments in Chile, Peru, Ecuador and Colombia.
With the development of the grid and the integration of fluctuating renewable energy sources, additional pumped storage capacity will be necessary throughout this vast region.
All these different demands have to be met by state-of-the-art technologies, tailor-made solutions, and concentrated joint development efforts with hydroelectric plant investors and operators.
ANDRITZ HYDRO has been accepting these challenges for more than 100 years. In that time we have delivered, installed, and modernized 3,800 generating units with a total capacity of about 160 GW. In order to maintain our strong relationship with all our customers and partners, ANDRITZ HYDRO has established local entities in Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Peru, the USA, and Venezuela. In many of these countries key components like turbines, generators and automation systems are manufactured in our own workshops. ANDRITZ HYDRO is capable of comprehensively serving the market needs for small hydro, as well as for new hydropower plants of all sizes and all imaginable rehabilitation work.
Hydropower is the first, largest and most efficient renewable energy source in the world. It also provides a multitude of valuable additional services, such as flood protection, irrigation, navigation, grid control, and recreation.
With the confidence and trust of our customers and a long history of continuously developed technology, ANDRITZ HYDRO and our employees are ready to accept the hydropower challenges of today and tomorrow.
A. Schwab
