Hydroelectricity, or hydroelectric power, is electricity generated from hydropower (water power). Hydropower supplies 15% of the world's electricity, almost 4,210 TWh in 2023, [1] which is more than all other renewable sources combined and also more than nuclear power. [2]
Hydroelectric power is a form of renewable energy in which electricity is produced from generators driven by turbines that convert the potential energy of moving water into mechanical energy.
Hydroelectricity — also called hydroelectric energy or hydropower — is electricity that’s generated by either damming or diverting a body of water to harness the power of its movement. Like wind power, it’s an energy source that humans have used for thousands of years.