ENGINEERING IN PROVIDING TERRITORIES OF THE WORLD EFFECTIVENESS OF THE FUNCTIONING OF HYDROPOWER

Abstract

A comparative analysis of the efficiency of hydropower operation in leading countries around the world has been conducted. The best results are demonstrated by countries where hydropower serves as a primary source of energy supply. An important factor in improving efficiency is the presence of pumped storage capacities. Ukraine belongs to the group of countries that use hydropower to maintain the energy system balance.In today’s conditions, the development of renewable energy, including hydropower, largely focuses on aggregate indicators of installed capacity, the volume of newly commissioned capacity per year, and, occasionally, the amount of electricity generated. However, the issue of hydropower efficiency often remains overlooked. Since 2002, the All-Ukrainian Public Organization "Association Ukrhydroenergo" has been active in Ukraine. The article aims to conduct a comparative analysis of the efficiency of hydropower performance in leading countries. The main objectives are to identify key factors influencing hydropower efficiency, analyze the experience of leading countries, and explore the possibility of applying this experience to the development of Ukraine's hydropower sector.The research is based on a comparative analysis method, evaluating operational efficiency by the ratio of electricity generated to installed capacity. The methodological foundation includes the analysis of the natural potential of territories (considering relief and river networks), statistical research, methods of logical generalization, and comparative analysis.It has been established that the efficiency indicators of Ukrainian hydropower are comparable to those of major European countries.