Is hydropower good for climate change?
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Introduction
Hydropower is one of the most common renewable energy sources, and it generates more electricity than any other source in the world. But as it turns out, hydropower isn’t always good for the climate — or local ecosystems. Here’s what you need to know about this carbon-free energy source.
When it comes to renewable energy sources, popular opinion has it that solar and wind are the way to go.
When it comes to renewable energy sources, popular opinion has it that solar and wind are the way to go. While these two sources do have their benefits when it comes to reducing our carbon footprint and reliance on fossil fuels, there’s another option you might not be aware of: hydropower.
Hydropower is a renewable source of energy that is clean, efficient, reliable, and available all over the world—especially in developing countries where power grids need updating or repairing. In fact, according to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), hydropower accounted for approximately 17% of today’s global electricity generation in 2015 alone—and most of this came from large dams built decades ago.
But this overlooks another renewable source which is much more abundant — hydropower.
But this overlooks another renewable source which is much more abundant — hydropower.
Hydropower is a renewable source of energy that has been used for thousands of years, with the first recorded use in 6th century BC by Greeks who used water wheels to grind wheat. Today’s modern hydro systems consist of dams, reservoirs and power stations which convert flowing water into electricity via turbines.
As the most widely used form of renewable energy, it accounts for 16% of global electricity production today (1). It’s also the lowest-carbon emitting source after wind and solar power — on average producing 3g CO2 per kWh generated from hydro compared to 4g from coal and 8g from natural gas (2).
The hydropower industry generates an average of 3,000 terawatt hours of electricity a year
You may be surprised to learn that hydropower is the largest source of renewable energy in the world. Hydropower accounts for about 6% of the world’s electricity production and generates over 3,000 terawatt hours of electricity annually (a terawatt hour is equivalent to 1 million megawatt hours).
The industry is also able to respond more quickly than wind or solar power during periods of high demand.
The industry is also able to respond more quickly than wind or solar power during periods of high demand. Unlike solar and wind, hydropower can be turned on in minutes instead of hours, allowing producers to meet the demand for electricity in real time. As a result, hydropower plants are able to fill gaps in energy supply, which helps maintain energy reliability—especially during peak times when many people are using their appliances simultaneously (like on hot summer days).
While this seems to make hydropower a shoo-in, there are still risks and drawbacks associated with the technology.
But just as there are positive aspects to hydropower, there are also drawbacks. For one thing, hydropower is not a panacea for climate change. While it does produce zero emissions, it doesn’t solve all the problems associated with fossil fuel use, such as groundwater pollution caused by methane leaks from coal mines or oil rigs and ocean acidification from CO2 emissions (to say nothing of the damage caused by mining itself). Hydropower can also have negative impacts on local ecosystems: dams may flood large areas of land where animals live or migrate through; they can dry out rivers so that migratory fish cannot reach their spawning grounds; and they prevent sediment from flowing downstream which may lead to erosion. Not only that but dams require constant maintenance and upgrades throughout their lifetime—a cost often passed down to consumers in the form of higher electricity prices—and they’re vulnerable to accidents such as earthquakes or floods that could destroy them entirely (or at least make them less efficient).
Hydropower dams can have devastating impacts on local habitats, including the disruption of river ecosystems.
Hydropower dams can have devastating impacts on the local environment. These include flooding, erosion and habitat loss.
Hydropower dams can also cause species loss because they alter river ecosystems and disrupt migration patterns. The construction process is also extremely destructive to plants and animals in their path.
Rivers are key sources of water for drinking, irrigation and industry, so altering them negatively affects human populations as well as wildlife.
This can set off a chain reaction of ecosystem degradation, affecting everything from fish and birds to trees, plants and soil.
When you build a dam, it can disrupt the natural flow of water. Water will be diverted to a reservoir for hydropower production. The quality and quantity of water in nearby streams are affected, as is the flow of nutrients (like nitrogen and phosphorus), sediment and organic matter from those waterways.
The impact on fish populations is significant: if dams interrupt their life cycle or alter their habitat, they can’t survive in these altered conditions. Birds also suffer because they rely on rivers to feed their young; many species need certain types of food that are no longer available once dams are built.
Building and maintaining these dams also has significant environmental impacts.
A hydroelectric dam can also have a significant impact on the local environment. The construction process can cause damage to the local ecosystem and disrupt communities. The building of a dam can also cause erosion and sedimentation downstream, which may lead to siltation of river beds, reducing natural habitats for aquatic animals, fish and plants.
Hydropower is not necessarily good for the climate
While hydroelectric dams are often considered to be “green” energy sources, they are not without their drawbacks. For example, hydroelectricity is not a zero-emission energy source; in fact it can have significant greenhouse gas emissions. The impacts of dams on local ecosystems and habitats can also be devastating, as well as having serious effects on the ability for species to travel between breeding grounds and feeding grounds.
The building and maintenance of dams has significant environmental impacts too – for example many rivers have been blocked off by dams which means that fish cannot swim upstream to their spawning grounds resulting in decreased populations.
Conclusion
So if we’re looking for a renewable source of energy that can help us cut down on greenhouse gases and fight climate change, it might be better to look elsewhere.
