# Water cycle: Overview

Sun, rain and gravity working together

Source page: https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_hydro/overview/

What this tile covers The Sun evaporates water, rain refills rivers and lakes, and gravity brings it down again. Share of use 2.7% share of world energy supply (2024)

Share of world total energy supply, 2024 (latest year where noted). Denominator is the Energy Institute Statistical Review 2025 total of 592.2 EJ (physical energy content method). Flows EI omits (traditional biomass via WBA, solar and geothermal heat, food energy) are set against the same 592.2 EJ, so shares sum to slightly more than 100%. Hydroelectricity 16.03 EJ of 592.2 EJ (calculated). Excludes tidal and wave power. Source: [Statistical Review of World Energy 2025 (74th edition)](https://assets.kpmg.com/content/dam/kpmgsites/sg/pdf/2025/08/2025-statistical-review-of-world-energy.pdf), Energy Institute.

#### Key facts

| **Origin** | Indirect solar |
|---|---|
| **Renewable** | Yes |

#### Included from the reference tables

- Large dams, run-of-river, micro-hydro

#### Linked to the material world
[H₂O Water](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/water/)

#### Also in Solar-derived flows
[Sun Sunlight](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_sunlight/)[Wd Wind](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_wind/)[Wv Ocean waves](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_waves/)[Oc Ocean currents](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_currents/)[OT Ocean thermal gradient](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_ocean_thermal/)[Sal Salinity gradient](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_salinity/)[Bm Biomass](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_biomass/)[Amb Ambient heat](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_ambient/)[Mu Muscle power](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_muscle/)

Explore paths from here
 More on this tile in the tabs above: how energy resides, abundance, fluctuation in time, across the earth, impact on nature.

## Other sections

- [Summary](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_hydro/index.md)
- [Correlation](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_hydro/correlation/index.md)
- [How energy resides](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_hydro/resides/index.md)
- [Abundance](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_hydro/abundance/index.md)
- [Fluctuation in time](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_hydro/time/index.md)
- [Across the Earth](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_hydro/geography/index.md)
- [Impact on nature](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_hydro/nature/index.md)
- [Relationships](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_hydro/links/index.md)