Hydropower: Why is it still under the “radar”?
Hydroelectric power—the process of turning ordinary water into energy—often goes under the “radar” when talking about energy compared to the flashy nuclear or hydrogen energy. However, hydropower accounts for 16% of the entire world’s energy, which should not go unnoticed. It was the leading energy production method until 2019 and one of the first sources of renewable energy creation. So how has aquatic energy been able to create so much of the world’s energy?
The large scale of mass bodies of water, often enable energy production which is more efficient while also being more convenient. Due to these established resources, aquatic activists get a head start compared to man-made alternatives.
The Hoover Dam, located on the border between Nevada and Arizona
In this way, it is easier to create large scale dams that can output immense amounts of energy. Typically, dams block large amounts of a river to harness water flow and transform it into energy. This process is extremely effective and environmentally safe, with little pollutants in the water or surrounding atmosphere. The Hoover Dam, located at the Nevada-Arizona border, produces about 4 billion kilowatt hours each year, which is enough to serve 1.3 million people. Similarly, the Three Gorges Dam in Yichang, China is an immense resource in terms of world energy. In fact, this dam is the largest renewable energy source in the world and produces 11 times as much power as the Hoover Dam. Not only does this dam provide sufficient power for its city, it has surplus energy to share with other cities and possibly other countries as well. In short, do not underestimate the power of hydropower.
Additionally, tidal power is a major benefactor from hydropower. Tidal power harnesses the kinetic energy from each wave which powers an underwater turbine. This turbine produces energy in a generator, which can now be used as a source of household energy. Tidal power can also be adopted by manipulating cycles of high and low tides while using sluice gates to trap water at high tide and release at low tide to power a similar turbine.
The World’s Largest Energy Sources; Visual Capitalist
Hydropower is an extremely reliable and consistent form of energy, and it is expected that the world will continue to rely on it for a large portion of its total energy. This is largely due to its efficiency, generating 13.3% of its energy potential. While 13% may not seem like a large amount, energy potentials of solar (0.57%), wind (0.81%), and geothermal (0.41%) comparatively show that hydropower immensely outperforms most other energy types. Looking at the big picture, we all should thank hydropower for keeping our energy consistent, efficient, and sufficient to live on.
