[4] Brookfield Asset Management claims to have "more than 100 years of experience as an owner, operator and developer of hydroelectric power facilities."

It was founded in the 1890s in Brazil, where the company installed the first electrical lights and tramways in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro.

[8] Brookfield used its majority stake in Great Lakes Power as its primary vehicle to advance its interests in the renewable energy sector.

When Great Lakes Hydro Income Fund completed its initial public offering on the Toronto Stock Exchange in 1999, Brookfield Asset Management (then known as EdperBrascan) owned 61% of outstanding units through its various subsidiaries.

[9][10] Initially, Great Lakes Hydro's assets were limited to three hydroelectric facilities in Western Quebec with a combined capacity of 238MW.

[17] In 2014, the company and its investment partners acquired a portfolio of wind power assets in Ireland, establishing its presence in Europe for a total enterprise value of approximately $960 million.