Small Hydropower Development

The need for small hydropower project development by international private sector investors has increased significantly over the last few years.  Small hydropower development has become a main focus for many markets because the private sector prefers small projects due to shorter development times, less market and political risk, and more manageable sums of investment to be raised in the private market.   Small projects are also many times considered to be more environmentally benign, and offer other unique water development benefits in developing countries to local communities.  Several nations have made small hydropower development a priority for investment, resulting in various incentive programs and strategies to attract private sector investors. 

US Hydropower is working on a partnership activity with the US Agency for International Development which include, data collection, project finance mechanisms, and market conditioning and governance practices to allow investment to flow.