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Africa's economic and population growth prospects are likely to increase energy and water demands. This quantitative study shows that energy decarbonisation pathways reduce water withdrawals (WWs) and water consumption (WC) relative to the baseline scenario. However, the more aggressive decarbonisation pathway (1.5 degrees C) leads to higher overall WWs than the 2.0 degrees C scenario but lower WC levels by 2065. By 2065, investments in low-carbon energy infrastructure increase annual WWs from 1% (52 bcm) in the 2.0 degrees C to 2% (85 bcm) in the 1.5 degrees C scenarios of total renewable water resources in Africa compared to 3% (159 bcm) in the baseline scenario with lower final energy demands in the mitigation scenarios. WC decreases from 1.2 bcm in the 2.0 degrees C to 1 bcm in the 1.5 degrees C scenario, compared to 2.2 bcm in the baseline scenario by 2065, due to the lower water intensity of the low-carbon energy systems. To meet the 1.5 degrees C pathway, the energy sector requires a higher WW than the 2.0 degrees C scenario, both in total and per unit of final energy. Overall, these findings demonstrate the crucial role of integrated water-energy planning, and the need for joined-up carbon policy and water resources management for the continent to achieve climate-compatible growth., QC 20220420

Lack of access to modern forms of energy hampers efforts to reduce poverty. The provision of electricity to off-grid communities is therefore a long-standing developmental goal. Yet, many off-grid electrification projects neglect mid- and long-term operation and maintenance costs. When this is the case, electricity services are unlikely to be affordable to the communities that are the project's primary target. Here we show that, compared with diesel-powered electricity generation systems, solar photovoltaic systems are more affordable to no less than 36% of the unelectrified populations in East Asia, South Asia, and sub-Saharan Africa. We do so by developing geo-referenced estimates of affordability at a high level of resolution (1 km2). The analysis illustrates the differences in affordability that may be found at the subnational level, which underscores that electrification investments should be informed by subnational data.

About 50% of all hydropower plants (HPPs) worldwide were originally commissioned more than 40 years ago, so that the advanced age of the fleet is a major concern across all continents, and especially in Europe. The retrofitting of HPPs can generate several benefits for production, flexibility, safety, management and environment. In this work, the benefits related to energy and flexibility were considered and quantified by conducting a large-scale assessment for the European Union and Europe, taking into account several retrofitting strategies: dam heightening, head loss reduction in waterways, increase of installed power in run-of-the-river and storage power plants, increase of annual inflow, increase of maximum efficiency and weighted efficiency of electro-mechanical equipment, start and stop improvement, digitalization and inflow forecast, floating photovoltaic and reservoir interconnection. For most of these strategies, an indicator of the additional capacity and/or annual production that could be obtained compared to the current conditions was calculated. Excluding site-specific strategies (e.g. installation of new parallel waterways, increase of withdrawals from existing intakes) the resulting compound value of the indicator is 10.2% for European Union and 12.2% for the whole Europe, plus 4-28.6 TWh achievable by interconnecting reservoirs. This suggests that the retrofitting of HPPs can generate significant benefits in terms of energy and flexibility, minimizing environmental impacts, and should be considered as an important element of both energy transition and water management policies.

Lack of access to modern forms of energy hampers efforts to reduce poverty. The provision of electricity to off-grid communities is therefore a long-standing developmental goal. Yet, many off-grid electrification projects neglect mid- and long-term operation and maintenance costs. When this is the case, electricity services are unlikely to be affordable to the communities that are the project's primary target. Here we show that, compared with diesel-powered electricity generation systems, solar photovoltaic systems are more affordable to no less than 36% of the unelectrified populations in East Asia, South Asia, and sub-Saharan Africa. We do so by developing geo-referenced estimates of affordability at a high level of resolution (1 km2). The analysis illustrates the differences in affordability that may be found at the subnational level, which underscores that electrification investments should be informed by subnational data.

About 50% of all hydropower plants (HPPs) worldwide were originally commissioned more than 40 years ago, so that the advanced age of the fleet is a major concern across all continents, and especially in Europe. The retrofitting of HPPs can generate several benefits for production, flexibility, safety, management and environment. In this work, the benefits related to energy and flexibility were considered and quantified by conducting a large-scale assessment for the European Union and Europe, taking into account several retrofitting strategies: dam heightening, head loss reduction in waterways, increase of installed power in run-of-the-river and storage power plants, increase of annual inflow, increase of maximum efficiency and weighted efficiency of electro-mechanical equipment, start and stop improvement, digitalization and inflow forecast, floating photovoltaic and reservoir interconnection. For most of these strategies, an indicator of the additional capacity and/or annual production that could be obtained compared to the current conditions was calculated. Excluding site-specific strategies (e.g. installation of new parallel waterways, increase of withdrawals from existing intakes) the resulting compound value of the indicator is 10.2% for European Union and 12.2% for the whole Europe, plus 4-28.6 TWh achievable by interconnecting reservoirs. This suggests that the retrofitting of HPPs can generate significant benefits in terms of energy and flexibility, minimizing environmental impacts, and should be considered as an important element of both energy transition and water management policies.

Lack of access to modern forms of energy hampers eforts to reduce poverty. The provision of electricity to of-grid communities is therefore a long-standing developmental goal. Yet, many of-grid electrifcation projects neglect mid- and long-term operation and maintenance costs. When this is the case, electricity services are unlikely to be afordable to the communities that are the project’s primary target. Here we show that, compared with diesel-powered electricity generation systems, solar photovoltaic systems are more afordable to no less than 36% of the unelectrifed populations in East Asia, South Asia, and sub-Saharan Africa. We do so by developing geo-referenced estimates of afordability at a high level of resolution (1 km2 ). The analysis illustrates the diferences in afordability that may be found at the subnational level, which underscores that electrifcation investments should be informed by subnational data.

The paper reviews recent research and development activities in the field of hydropower technology. It covers emerging and advanced technologies to mitigate flow instabilities (active and passive approach) as well as emerging magneto-rheological control techniques. Recent research findings on flow instabilities are also presented, especially concerning fluid-structure interaction and transient operating conditions. As a great number of the existing large-scale hydroelectric facilities were constructed decades ago using technologies that are now considered obsolete, technologies to achieve the digitalisation of hydropower are also analysed. Advances in the electro-mechanical components and generator design are presented; their potential role to adapt hydropower to the current operating conditions is also highlighted. The text explores current efforts to advance hydropower operation, mainly in terms of European projects. It provides a detailed overview of the recent efforts to increase the operational range of hydraulic turbines in order to reach exceptional levels of flexibility, a topic of several recent research projects. Variable speed hydropower generation and its application in pumped storage power plants are presented in detail. Moreover, revolutionary concepts for hydroelectric energy storage are also presented with the analysis focusing on underwater hydro storage and hydropower's hybridisation with fast energy storage systems. Efforts to minimise hydropower's environmental footprint are also presented via the utilisation of small-scale and fish-friendly installations.

The paper reviews recent research and development activities in the field of hydropower technology. It covers emerging and advanced technologies to mitigate flow instabilities (active and passive approach) as well as emerging magneto-rheological control techniques. Recent research findings on flow instabilities are also presented, especially concerning fluid-structure interaction and transient operating conditions. As a great number of the existing large-scale hydroelectric facilities were constructed decades ago using technologies that are now considered obsolete, technologies to achieve the digitalisation of hydropower are also analysed. Advances in the electro-mechanical components and generator design are presented; their potential role to adapt hydropower to the current operating conditions is also highlighted. The text explores current efforts to advance hydropower operation, mainly in terms of European projects. It provides a detailed overview of the recent efforts to increase the operational range of hydraulic turbines in order to reach exceptional levels of flexibility, a topic of several recent research projects. Variable speed hydropower generation and its application in pumped storage power plants are presented in detail. Moreover, revolutionary concepts for hydroelectric energy storage are also presented with the analysis focusing on underwater hydro storage and hydropower's hybridisation with fast energy storage systems. Efforts to minimise hydropower's environmental footprint are also presented via the utilisation of small-scale and fish-friendly installations.

The paper reviews recent research and development activities in the field of hydropower technology. It covers emerging and advanced technologies to mitigate flow instabilities (active and passive approach) as well as emerging magneto-rheological control techniques. Recent research findings on flow instabilities are also presented, especially concerning fluid-structure interaction and transient operating conditions. As a great number of the existing large-scale hydroelectric facilities were constructed decades ago using technologies that are now considered obsolete, technologies to achieve the digitalisation of hydropower are also analysed. Advances in the electro-mechanical components and generator design are presented; their potential role to adapt hydropower to the current operating conditions is also highlighted. The text explores current efforts to advance hydropower operation, mainly in terms of European projects. It provides a detailed overview of the recent efforts to increase the operational range of hydraulic turbines in order to reach exceptional levels of flexibility, a topic of several recent research projects. Variable speed hydropower generation and its application in pumped storage power plants are presented in detail. Moreover, revolutionary concepts for hydroelectric energy storage are also presented with the analysis focusing on underwater hydro storage and hydropower's hybridisation with fast energy storage systems. Efforts to minimise hydropower's environmental footprint are also presented via the utilisation of small-scale and fish-friendly installations.

The paper reviews recent research and development activities in the field of hydropower technology. It covers emerging and advanced technologies to mitigate flow instabilities (active and passive approach) as well as emerging magneto-rheological control techniques. Recent research findings on flow instabilities are also presented, especially concerning fluid-structure interaction and transient operating conditions. As a great number of the existing large-scale hydroelectric facilities were constructed decades ago using technologies that are now considered obsolete, technologies to achieve the digitalisation of hydropower are also analysed. Advances in the electro-mechanical components and generator design are presented; their potential role to adapt hydropower to the current operating conditions is also highlighted. The text explores current efforts to advance hydropower operation, mainly in terms of European projects. It provides a detailed overview of the recent efforts to increase the operational range of hydraulic turbines in order to reach exceptional levels of flexibility, a topic of several recent research projects. Variable speed hydropower generation and its application in pumped storage power plants are presented in detail. Moreover, revolutionary concepts for hydroelectric energy storage are also presented with the analysis focusing on underwater hydro storage and hydropower's hybridisation with fast energy storage systems. Efforts to minimise hydropower's environmental footprint are also presented via the utilisation of small-scale and fish-friendly installations.

The paper reviews recent research and development activities in the field of hydropower technology. It covers emerging and advanced technologies to mitigate flow instabilities (active and passive approach) as well as emerging magneto-rheological control techniques. Recent research findings on flow instabilities are also presented, especially concerning fluid-structure interaction and transient operating conditions. As a great number of the existing large-scale hydroelectric facilities were constructed decades ago using technologies that are now considered obsolete, technologies to achieve the digitalisation of hydropower are also analysed. Advances in the electro-mechanical components and generator design are presented; their potential role to adapt hydropower to the current operating conditions is also highlighted. The text explores current efforts to advance hydropower operation, mainly in terms of European projects. It provides a detailed overview of the recent efforts to increase the operational range of hydraulic turbines in order to reach exceptional levels of flexibility, a topic of several recent research projects. Variable speed hydropower generation and its application in pumped storage power plants are presented in detail. Moreover, revolutionary concepts for hydroelectric energy storage are also presented with the analysis focusing on underwater hydro storage and hydropower's hybridisation with fast energy storage systems. Efforts to minimise hydropower's environmental footprint are also presented via the utilisation of small-scale and fish-friendly installations.

The paper reviews recent research and development activities in the field of hydropower technology. It covers emerging and advanced technologies to mitigate flow instabilities (active and passive approach) as well as emerging magneto-rheological control techniques. Recent research findings on flow instabilities are also presented, especially concerning fluid-structure interaction and transient operating conditions. As a great number of the existing large-scale hydroelectric facilities were constructed decades ago using technologies that are now considered obsolete, technologies to achieve the digitalisation of hydropower are also analysed. Advances in the electro-mechanical components and generator design are presented; their potential role to adapt hydropower to the current operating conditions is also highlighted. The text explores current efforts to advance hydropower operation, mainly in terms of European projects. It provides a detailed overview of the recent efforts to increase the operational range of hydraulic turbines in order to reach exceptional levels of flexibility, a topic of several recent research projects. Variable speed hydropower generation and its application in pumped storage power plants are presented in detail. Moreover, revolutionary concepts for hydroelectric energy storage are also presented with the analysis focusing on underwater hydro storage and hydropower's hybridisation with fast energy storage systems. Efforts to minimise hydropower's environmental footprint are also presented via the utilisation of small-scale and fish-friendly installations.

The paper reviews recent research and development activities in the field of hydropower technology. It covers emerging and advanced technologies to mitigate flow instabilities (active and passive approach) as well as emerging magneto-rheological control techniques. Recent research findings on flow instabilities are also presented, especially concerning fluid-structure interaction and transient operating conditions. As a great number of the existing large-scale hydroelectric facilities were constructed decades ago using technologies that are now considered obsolete, technologies to achieve the digitalisation of hydropower are also analysed. Advances in the electro-mechanical components and generator design are presented; their potential role to adapt hydropower to the current operating conditions is also highlighted. The text explores current efforts to advance hydropower operation, mainly in terms of European projects. It provides a detailed overview of the recent efforts to increase the operational range of hydraulic turbines in order to reach exceptional levels of flexibility, a topic of several recent research projects. Variable speed hydropower generation and its application in pumped storage power plants are presented in detail. Moreover, revolutionary concepts for hydroelectric energy storage are also presented with the analysis focusing on underwater hydro storage and hydropower's hybridisation with fast energy storage systems. Efforts to minimise hydropower's environmental footprint are also presented via the utilisation of small-scale and fish-friendly installations.

The paper reviews recent research and development activities in the field of hydropower technology. It covers emerging and advanced technologies to mitigate flow instabilities (active and passive approach) as well as emerging magneto-rheological control techniques. Recent research findings on flow instabilities are also presented, especially concerning fluid-structure interaction and transient operating conditions. As a great number of the existing large-scale hydroelectric facilities were constructed decades ago using technologies that are now considered obsolete, technologies to achieve the digitalisation of hydropower are also analysed. Advances in the electro-mechanical components and generator design are presented; their potential role to adapt hydropower to the current operating conditions is also highlighted. The text explores current efforts to advance hydropower operation, mainly in terms of European projects. It provides a detailed overview of the recent efforts to increase the operational range of hydraulic turbines in order to reach exceptional levels of flexibility, a topic of several recent research projects. Variable speed hydropower generation and its application in pumped storage power plants are presented in detail. Moreover, revolutionary concepts for hydroelectric energy storage are also presented with the analysis focusing on underwater hydro storage and hydropower's hybridisation with fast energy storage systems. Efforts to minimise hydropower's environmental footprint are also presented via the utilisation of small-scale and fish-friendly installations.

The paper reviews recent research and development activities in the field of hydropower technology. It covers emerging and advanced technologies to mitigate flow instabilities (active and passive approach) as well as emerging magneto-rheological control techniques. Recent research findings on flow instabilities are also presented, especially concerning fluid-structure interaction and transient operating conditions. As a great number of the existing large-scale hydroelectric facilities were constructed decades ago using technologies that are now considered obsolete, technologies to achieve the digitalisation of hydropower are also analysed. Advances in the electro-mechanical components and generator design are presented; their potential role to adapt hydropower to the current operating conditions is also highlighted. The text explores current efforts to advance hydropower operation, mainly in terms of European projects. It provides a detailed overview of the recent efforts to increase the operational range of hydraulic turbines in order to reach exceptional levels of flexibility, a topic of several recent research projects. Variable speed hydropower generation and its application in pumped storage power plants are presented in detail. Moreover, revolutionary concepts for hydroelectric energy storage are also presented with the analysis focusing on underwater hydro storage and hydropower's hybridisation with fast energy storage systems. Efforts to minimise hydropower's environmental footprint are also presented via the utilisation of small-scale and fish-friendly installations.

Energy planning in rural areas and in developing countries most often relies on the outputs of specialised analytical tools, of which only a handful have been developed. Over the years these tools have been upgraded, and the newest among them take into consideration, to a greater or lesser extent, all key determinants of energy generation and distribution. This paper focuses on a “pool” of web-based geo-referencing open-source tools and highlights the extent to which each analytical tool reflects the particularities of the various determinants of energy generation and distribution. In doing so, the present work identifies aspects of the tools that need to be strengthened. Building on this information, the paper further maps the suitability of each tool with regard to calculating (at a local level) the six Sustainable Development Goal indicators that are closely related to energy. This makes it possible to draw conclusions about monitoring needs in study-areas. Bringing together these two sets of findings, the paper concludes with a research agenda for analytical tool development in the area of energy planning, which spills over developmental agendas.