The nine largest operating power plants on the planet are hydroelectric, according to a recent release from the United States Energy Information Administration's (EIA) Today In Energy.
Here, CNBC takes a closer look at these titans of renewable energy.
Three Gorges Dam
A wonder of engineering, China's Three Gorges Dam is the world's largest power plant by capacity.
The EIA says the dam, which lies on the Yangtze River, has a capacity of 22.5 gigawatts (GW).
Itaipu, Brazil/Paraguay
The Itaipu Dam is located on the Paraguayan-Brazilian border and has a capacity of 14 GW, according to the EIA.
The world's second-largest hydroelectric facility after the Three Gorges, it has generated over 2.3 billion megawatt hours since 1984, when it became operational.
According to operator Itaipu Binacional, the dam provides roughly 15 percent of energy consumed in Brazil, and 75 percent of energy consumed in Paraguay.
Xiluodu, China
China's second-largest hydro facility, the Xiluodu Hydropower Station's maximum dam height is 278 meters, while it has an installed capacity of 13.86 GW, according to the China Gezhouba Group.
Guri, Venezuela
The Guri Dam, located in the east of Venezuela, can hold as much as 36 trillion gallons of water, according to the EIA.
In 2015, the facility generated more than 30 billion kilowatt hours of electricity, the EIA says.
Tucurui, Brazil
Located in the Brazilian Amazon, the Tucurui Dam began operations in 1984 and has an installed capacity of more than 8.3 GW.
Grand Coulee, United States
An American icon, the Grand Coulee Dam generates over 21 million megawatt hours of electricity annually, according to the U.S. Department of the Interior's Bureau of Reclamation.
This equates to enough power to provide 2.3 million homes with electricity every single year.
Xiangjiaba, China
Located on the Jinsha River, pictured, the Xiangjiaba Dam has a capacity of 6.4 GW, according to the China International Water and Electric Corporation.
Hydropower is becoming very important to China. According to the International Hydropower Association, it added 19.4 GW of hydropower capacity in 2015.
Longtan, China
Another Chinese dam, the Longtan Hydropower Station was completed in 2009 and has a capacity of more than 6 GW.
Sayano-Shushenskaya, Russia
While Russia may be blessed with an abundance of gas and oil, it's important to note that hydropower plays a big role in the country's energy mix.
The Sayano-Shushenskaya facility has a capacity of more than 6 GW.
