Hatch explores potential of hydropower to combat climate change

Niagara Falls, Ont. — Hatch is bringing together major waterpower producers, climate change experts, engineers and scientists to discuss climate change and its implications for renewable and hydropower development internationally. The theme of Hatch’s 47th H.G. Acres conference, held annually in Niagara Falls, Ontario, is “Climate Change and Waterpower – Myths, Science and Impacts.” The two-day conference and workshop explores the climate change challenge for major producers and strategies to leverage the enormous untapped potential of hydropower, a clean energy source, in meeting global GHG-reduction targets.

“Climate change is one of the toughest challenges facing our clients and society today,” said Rick Donnelly, Principal Water Power Consultant at Hatch. “Hatch’s engineers and technical experts are working with our waterpower clients and climate change experts to improve understanding and find innovative, technology-based solutions to this challenge. With advances in dam safety and enhanced environmental assessment requirements, we see tremendous potential to expand the hydropower sector and make this renewable energy source a greater part of the global energy mix.”

In North America alone, as much as 22 percent of GHG emissions targets established at the 2015 United Nations Conference on Climate Change (COP21) could be achieved by replacing existing fossil fuel sources with waterpower. Currently, 62 percent of power generated in North America is derived from fossil fuels.  As much as 95 percent of Asia’s GHG emission targets could be achieved using waterpower sources and replacing fossil fuel generation, which currently represents 64 percent of the total energy generation in the region.

Featured speakers include the following:

• Rick Donnelly, Principal Water Power Consultant, Hatch;
• Marie Hélène-Briand, Global Director, Water Power, Hatch;
• John R. Baird, Global Strategic Advisor, Hatch and former Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs;
•  Tom Rand, Managing Partner, ArcTern Ventures and Senior Advisor, MaRS Discovery District; and author of Kick the Fossil Fuel Habit and Waking the Frog: Solutions to our Climate Change Paralysis;
• Pravin Karki, Senior Hydropower Specialist, Energy & Extractives GP, World Bank Group;
• Yves Prairie, UNESCO Chair in Global Environmental Change; and
• Corinne Boone, Managing Director, Environmental Services Group, Hatch.