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Above: Full of potential – Ingula pumped storage power plant in South Africa is a prime example for positive local developmentTop left: The StreamDiver is a compact small hydropower solution keeping impacts on the environment to a minimumLeft: Large hydropower plants ensure a reliable energy supply serving countless millions of people over the decadesRight: Figure 1: Energy payback ratioHIGH EFFICIENCY, HIGH PAYBACKOf course, the construction of power plants is a major investment – and not only in Africa where funding is still a serious problem. Nevertheless, when viewed over the entire lifetime of the equipment installed, the operating costs are quite low. The installations are automated and standardized to the greatest degree possible. They have been designed for long lifecycles and the maintenance requirements are low. This means that investment costs can be amortized more rapidly. Compared to other renewable energy sources, hydropower will continue to be a cost-effective solution for growing energy needs. Taking the overall life cycle into account, it is important to keep in mind that hydropower offers the lowest cost of all energy generation forms and its long-term return is among the highest. Furthermore, hydropower offers an excellent, and in most cases, the best energy payback ratio (Figure 1). ENERGIZING AFRICAAt the end of 2015, the leading hydropower generating countries were China, the US, Brazil, Canada, India and Russia. But the enormous potential for power generation in African countries is also being tapped. An engagement of the energy sector in Africa can result in economic and social benefits. The access to electricity is a precondition for increasing industrialization, which in turn is a prerequisite for prosperity. The appropriate location of industrial and commercial enterprises depends on an adequate power supply. At present, several very promising large-scale projects are under way in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Liberia: they are both new power plants as well as modernization and restoration projects. Additional potential is to be found in the sub-Saharan African countries such as Angola, Cameroon and Ethiopia. The hydropower which is technically exploitable in Africa amounts to approximately 473 gigawatts. Today, the installed turbine power generates 31 gigawatts.6,5%