Financing dams

The University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership’s (CISL) is leading the  FutureDAMS work on understanding the conditions under which global capital flows into the right types of dam infrastructure.

The team is reviewing the risks and opportunities of financing sustainable infrastructure; identifying best practices that promote the financing of sustainable infrastructure; and understanding how metrics can align financing instruments behind sustainable infrastructure.

The CISL team:

 

Financing dams research

  Title/downloadSummary
01/2021Interactive frameworkAn analytical framework for understanding risk and risk mitigation in the context of financing large hydropower projects in low- and lower-middle income countriesInteractive framework for exploring the risks of hydropower projects and how to mitigate them.
01/2021Working paperPerceptions of risk in relation to large hydropower projects: a finance perspectiveThis paper integrates financiers' perceptions of risk into the risk analytical framework.
10/2020Working paperAn analytical framework for understanding risk and risk mitigation in the context of financing large hydropower projects in low- and lower-middle income countriesThe framework provides a structured approach to the analysis of risk which can aid governments, developers, lenders and investors in maximising the likelihood of a project obtaining sustainable finance
05/2020WebinarHydropower finance: complexity, risk and private sector investmentThis presentation discusses the complexity of hydropower finance in low income countries, the role that the private sector may play and the risks which must be addressed in order to attract more private sector investment to large hydropower projects in low-income countries in the future.
04/2020Journal articleMapping the evolving complexity of large hydropower project finance in low and lower-middle income countriesThis paper describes and compares the advantages and limitations of three financing models that are available, or have previously been used, for large hydropower development in low-income and lower-middle income countries.
08/2019Working paperFinancing sustainable hydropower projects in emerging markets: an introduction to concepts and terminologyThis paper aims to serve as a reference document to help readers better engage with the complex material on hydropower development and finance.
07/2019Working paperMapping the evolving complexity of large hydropower project finance in low and lower-middle income countriesThis research seeks to provide the foundation and background for discussion of hydropower finance in a historical and comparative perspective.
03/2020Journal articleWater at COP25: Resilience enables climate change adaptation through better planning, governance and financeA brief review of reports relevant to water management published in the run-up to COP25, and a summary of overarching themes discussed during the event.

Research update video

This video was produced for the FutureDAMS annual forum (November 2020) as a summary of the team’s current research progress.

New video – ‘A tale of three dams: Sustainable hydropower finance’

A tale of three dams: Sustainable hydropower finance is a video looking at the different options for financing sustainable hydropower projects in low-income countries.  Using examples in Uganda, it discusses three potential financing structures (fully public,...

What’s the risk? Understanding and mitigating risk for hydropower project investment

Hydropower projects can support sustainable development but they’re often seen as risky so can struggle to get finance. A new framework from FutureDAMS researchers Plummer Braeckman and Markkanen for identifying, measuring and managing risk for large hydropower...

The pros and cons of large hydropower financing models. New open access research

In their most recent paper, 'Mapping the evolving complexity of large hydropower project finance in low and lower-middle income countries', published in Green Finance, Markkanen, Plummer Braeckman and Souvannaseng describe and compare the advantages and limitations of...

Webinar: Hydropower finance – complexity, risk and private sector investment

By Judith Plummer Braeckman and Sanna Markkanen, Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership Watch the webinar on YouTube Sustainably developed hydropower can be cost effective and can offer many additional benefits beyond power generation, such as water storage...

Water management for climate change adaptation: emerging trends and new research

Water at COP25: Resilience enables climate change adaptation FutureDAMS' researchers Julien Harou, Judith Plummer Braeckmann and Sanna Markkanen presented at COP25 (Madrid, December 2019). Reflecting on their experience, they have contributed to the latest Institute...

New working paper: Mapping the evolving complexity of large hydropower project finance in low and lower-middle income countries

By Sanna Markkanen The new FutureDAMS working paper is the second in a series emerging from the CISL’s contribution to the FutureDAMS project, with a specific focus on the questions around sustainable finance for sustainable hydropower projects in low-income and...

FutureDAMS at COP25

Members of the FutureDAMS consortium were active at COP25 in Madrid, running two events. ‘Building Better Dams: the Past, Present and Future of Hydropower’ UK Pavilion, 4 December This event was convened by the Centre for Sustainable Finance, University of Cambridge...

Hydro 2019 in Porto, Portugal

Hydro 2019. 14-16 October 2019, Porto, Portugal Dr Judith Plummer Braeckman and Dr Sanna Markkanen attended the 'Hydro 2019' international conference in Porto, Portugal on 14-16 October, 2019 to disseminate FutureDAMS research on the topic of hydropower finance. On...

Perceptions of risk and options for risk mitigation in hydropower investment: Roundtable, Singapore

Tuesday 29th October 2019, 12:30 – 16:15, King & Spalding (Singapore) The roundtable discussion commenced with a brief welcome and introduction to the FutureDAMS project by Judith Plummer Braeckman. Judith then delivered presentations providing an overview of our...

Understanding the concepts and terminology of financing sustainable hydropower projects. New working paper.

By Sanna Markkanen  Financing sustainable hydropower projects in emerging markets: an introduction to concepts and terminology (Working paper) is the first in a series of working papers emerging from the CISL’s contribution to the FutureDAMS project, with a specific...

Hydropower & Dams AFRICA 2019: private finance panel discussion

AFRICA 2019, Water Storage and Hydropower Development for Africa conference, 2nd-4th April 2019, Windhoek, Namibia AFRICA 2019 brought together representatives of organisations active in hydropower and dams in Namibia, Africa and worldwide. The event focused on the...

Who should carry the financial risks in private sector financed hydropower projects?

Read the latest FutureDAMS article published in International Water Power Magazine (IWP&DC) by Judith Plummer Braeckman from the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership and Jamie Skinner from the International Institute for Environment and...

Who should carry the financial risks in large private sector financed hydropower projects?

By Judith Plummer Braeckman (CISL) and Jamie Skinner (IIED) Large hydropower projects can cost more than a billion dollars to build. For the private sector, to whom Governments are increasingly turning for infrastructure finance, this represents a significant...