The electricity sector has been damaging the environment for centuries, being the primary cause of carbon emissions. For example, when people rely on the combustion of fossil fuels, they increase greenhouse gases percentage contributing to global warming and climate change. Meanwhile, modern inventions such as solar, wind, and hydroelectric power were invented to tackle this environmental concern and find another means to generate power without causing ozone depletion. Hydroelectric power, in turn, utilizes river flows as the only power source. It is more affordable and causes less harm as it establishes a tight connection with natural resources without exhausting them. Since utilizing hydropower requires building only a dam on the river, many nations can rely on this electricity source due to its simplistic architectural nature. This term is essential to know for people who want to live in a sustainable environment, supporting renewable energy sources. However, hydroelectric power is not as harmless as people might suspect since it includes anthropological intervention in natural processes. For example, it might disturb the river’s flow and affect aquatic organisms’ movements. Therefore, nations choosing hydroelectric power over fossil fuels should be mindful of its possible effects on aquatic life.
When discussing the effects of hydroelectric power on the physical world and human beings, it is essential to differentiate between positive and negative aspects. Primarily, it was invented to terminate carbon emissions from fossil fuels as a step towards a sustainable future with fewer environmental concerns. This fact hints at the idea that hydroelectric power benefits the atmosphere, being a more sustainable alternative for fossil fuel combustion in some regions. That is why it supplies Norway and Paraguay with electricity totally while meeting over 60% of Brazil’s demand (Benzel & Carbone, 2020). Considering that its contribution percentage to the global electricity demand rises annually, the current 16% sets more hopeful expectations. Since the global population is rising significantly, people cannot rely on outdated and harmful energy sources, finding hydropower as a renewable energy source with more advantageous outcomes due to reducing dependence on imported fossil fuels. Moreover, some nations receive a chance to reduce imports of fossil fuels, focusing on their natural assets. This decision, in turn, brings economic benefits as individuals pay for their domestic products instead of imported assets subjected to public fluctuations (Tkáč, 2018). For example, Ecuador’s reliance on fossil fuels hinders economic growth, so the country switched its focus to hydroelectric power, accounting for 4,409 GW of energy from the large hydroelectric power plants (Tkáč, 2018). Despite such positive associations with hydropower, building large constructions on water resources has more risks. They comprise a dam across a river and a reservoir storing the water behind it (Benzel & Carbone, 2020). Although it sounds harmless, as hydropower does not reduce the amount of water and ensures its constant flow, it still interferes with nature. Most importantly, building hydropower requires destroying the natural habitat of some species. Zeleňáková et al. (2018) environmental impact assessment of the small hydropower plant in Slovakia highlighted that construction machinery emits noise, methane, and dust, which is still dangerous for the planet. Additionally, these stressors result in changes in the migration of populations, negatively affecting aquatic organisms such as salmons as they alter their movement directions. Sometimes constructions even damage soil layers and surface water quality, causing lower oxygen levels which make water resources dangerous for the survival of some fish species. Therefore, hydroelectric power might be as damaging as effective, thus, forcing people to invent more sustainable ways to utilize them.
The first suggested action is to support organizations differentiating between more reliable hydroelectric power stations and those that could cause more harm. For example, the International Association of Hydropower and the World Commission on Dams establish the most comprehensive guidelines for dam construction for versatile and low-cost energy (Tkáč, 2018). Investing in these organizations helps to increase the number of hydropower plants, with the tunnels susceptible to fish and organisms’ migration. Moreover, World Commission on Dams recently invested in the students’ projects regarding the improvements of dams, meaning that they prioritize habitats’ safety over energy efficiency. Thus, this action would help to create transparency in the renewable energy section, enhance safer alternative constructions, and help international organizations to check all hydroelectric power plants for sustainability measures. Another action to eliminate the adverse effects of hydroelectric power in some regions is to collaborate with the research teams investigating this question. Most universities in the US are interested in creating fish-friendly turbines or dams that do not disturb the river’s flow, thus, giving students a chance to participate in their activities. The students can find a closer destination with the engaged research team and accessible technologies to evaluate the region’s water availability for the construction of dams. Sometimes active team members are sent to the areas with hydroelectric power to investigate the construction’s flaws and suggest new ideas to improve them. If the students gain more professional knowledge in the dams’ construction, their suggestions might bring positive outcomes for the environment. For example, Massachusetts Technical University students create the most fish-friendly turbines by proposing new shapes and parameters (Zeleňáková et al., 2018). Since there are some risks associated with this suggestion, as students might be unable to suggest an idea that might drive environmental changes, they can eliminate these risks by further spreading the knowledge. These agents with gained knowledge and research skills should provide lectures and presentations for their peers to ensure everyone avoids biases about the hydropower’s safety. Hence, every student can adopt these actions and potentially benefit the environment.
References
Bensel, T., & Carbone, I. (2020). Chapter 7: Sustaining our energy resources, Chapter 8: Sustaining our atmosphere and climate. In Sustaining our planet (pp. 1–88). Zovio.
Tkáč, Š. (2018). Hydro power plants, an overview of the current types and technology. Selected Scientific Papers-Journal of Civil Engineering, 13(1), 115–126. Web.
Zeleňáková, M., Fijko, R., Diaconu, D. C., & Remeňáková, I. (2018). Environmental impact of small hydro power plant—a case study. Environments, 5(1), 12–22. Web.