Effect of Hydropower on Climate Change
The use of water to generate power, known as hydroelectric power, is not a new concept in the world. James Francis engineered the first modern water turbine in 1849, and it was named after him, the Francis turbine. A few decades later, other scientists designed a hydropower plant in the United States along the Fox River (Yamba et al. 1). Currently, hydropower accounts for about 16% of the world’s electricity. Only two states in the United States do not use hydropower. These figures show the growing importance of hydropower plants, and many other countries should follow suit. There is controversy surrounding hydropower plants as several people argue that it has harmful effects on the environment while the rest insist that it offers more benefits to the environment. To provide a better understanding of hydropower plants, we need to analyze both sides of this issue. Therefore, we take an in-depth look at the positive and negative effects of hydropower plans on climate.
A standard hydropower plant has three components: a power plant that produces electricity, a dam that can be opened or closed to control the flow of water, and a reservoir for water storage (Yamba et al. 1). The water behind the dam flows through an intake and turns the blades in a turbine by pushing against them. The turbine spins a generator resulting in the production of electricity. The quantity of power that can be produced depends on the distance that the water has to fall and the amount of water moving through the system. From this information, it is clear that hydropower plants do not involve the burning of substances, which results in the production of toxic fumes and greenhouse gases. Therefore, hydropower plants are environmentally friendly as they minimize the production of greenhouse gases produced by other sources of energy.
Consequently, hydropower helps in the mitigation of climate change because it makes use of natural resources such as water. The establishment of small hydropower plants makes use of current water flow. As a result, such plants do not interfere with any aspect of nature within the environment. People can obtain electricity from these mini-plants without worrying about them being hazardous to the environment.
According to the World Energy Council (WEC), the emissions of carbon dioxide are 3-4t for hydropower run-of-the river and 10-33t for hydropower with a reservoir (Berga, 3). These values are approximately 100 times less than what is produced when using conventional thermal power. Carbon dioxide accounts for the majority of the effects of global warming. By effectively reducing its levels in the atmosphere, the use of hydropower contributes significantly to climate change mitigation. Their use will keep temperature levels around the world steady enough to facilitate the survival of different species.
Changes in climate are producing a warmer globe, resulting in the reduction of now cover and an increase in sea level. The interaction between temperature changes and the hydrological cycle is seemingly inevitable. Some of the possible effects of this interaction include variability in river flow, melting glacier ice and ice caps, and changes in rainfall patterns, soil moisture, and evapotranspiration. These will affect water resources and water availability, floods and drought, and ultimately the generation of hydropower (Berga, 12). High latitude areas will have more water resources, while many desert and semi-desert regions will experience scarcity of water resources. Don't use plagiarised sources.Get your custom essay just from $11/page
These anticipated effects of climate change will result in a significant inconsistency of water availability, an irregular distribution of water resources around the world, and a periodic modification in streamflow in rivers fed by glaciers and snow. The overall effect is water scarcity all around the world. Putting this information into consideration, it essential to note that structured water basins with a vast reservoir capacity show more resilience to changes in the water sources. Also, they are less susceptible to changes in climate. The water storage acts as a buffer against climate change (Berga 22).
Therefore, given that most hydropower plants have water reservoirs in the form of dams, they offer a significant contribution in terms of climate change adaptation. Water stored in such dames provides water security. This water serves several purposes, such as drinking, irrigation, flood control, and navigation services (Berga 19). Most importantly, the reservoirs help in the maintenance of water resource availability, thus having a significant contribution towards adaptation to climatic changes.
Recent studies reveal that hydropower reservoirs are a source of methane gas emission (Lucena et al. 1). Reservoirs trap organic matter such as aquatic weeds, which then start decaying over time. As they rot, they release methane into the atmosphere. Methane is a potent greenhouse gas that causes global warming. This fact raises concerns about the significance of hydropower in controlling global warming. However, this effect is not a direct result of the production of hydroelectric power. Instead, it is a side effect arising from other factors such as water weeds. Therefore, management of this problem can be diminished by regular checking of the reservoirs for the presence of organic material and removing them before they start to rot. Therefore, the use of hydropower still holds the edge over the burning of fossil fuels.
The relationship between hydropower and climate change is a symbiotic one because each affects the other. Climate change alters the variation and discharge of river flow, inevitably impacting hydropower generation. These impacts vary in degree depending on how significant the changes to the runoff are—reduced runoff results in decreased production of hydropower. Therefore, estimates suggest that the global impact of climate on hydropower is relatively small, and may turn out to be positive. This information indicates that the production of hydroelectricity will remain steady over the next couple of years, continuing to influence climate positively.
Even though the use of hydropower is relatively cheaper to establish and maintain compared to non-renewable sources of energy, the forces of nature can significantly limit the usage of this power source. Climate change, and particularly drought, has a significant limiting effect on the use of hydropower. Drought affects the amount of water that is available for turning turbines (Fearnside 12). The less the water, the less the force generated in turning the turbines, hence reduced electricity production. Once this happens, people have no choice but to turn to other sources of energy such as coal and gas to sustain their energy requirements.
According to a study in the Western US, the production of carbon dioxide over a decade and a half was 100 megatons higher than it would have been had people not turned to burn fossil fuels (Yamba et al. 6). These findings emphasize the significant role that the use of hydropower plays in protecting the environment against the emission of greenhouse gases. Therefore, it is evident enough that hydropower offers substantial environmental benefits.
Apart from being very environment-friendly, the use of hydropower offers several other advantages. First, once the plant is set up, the source of power, which is flowing water, is free (Yamba et al. 7). The only possible expenditure will be during maintenance procedures, which are not costly. In comparison to burning fossil fuels, which an individual has to buy when they become depleted, hydropower plants are more efficient economically. The force with which the water flows is enough to run the system effectively, and little to no human effort is required. Human energy is limited to maintenance activities such as lubrication of the turbines and removal of trapped organic matter within the system.
Despite the high initial costs associated with establishing hydropower plants, the benefits associated with its use offer justification for the amount spent. The plants offer high efficiency, which can be as high as 90%. Also, the plants provide significant environmental benefits resulting in positive environmental changes and mitigating the adverse effects brought about by conventional energy sources. These ecological benefits have made many countries to move towards incorporating hydropower into their energy production needs.
The energy source for hydropower plants is self-renewing, either by snow or rainfall. Therefore, in areas that receive regular precipitation, setting up hydropower plants is a meaningful long term investment because it will continue to serve the people as long as enough water is available. Drought is among the few limiting factors to this notion, although the possibility of experiencing drought is highly unlikely in many parts of the world.
Hydropower is capable of producing high amounts of electricity. Also, it is possible to make adjustments to the plant to cater to the varying power requirements of the people (Yamba et al. 11). Adjusting the flow of water through the turbines determines the amount of electricity production. The higher the flow, the higher the electricity produced. Making these adjustments is relatively easy and does not cost much.
It is also possible to develop hydropower plants that used recycled water, which can also be called human-made water. Wastewater treatment plants collect dirty, used water from different households and industries to get rid of impurities and potential environmental hazards before disposing of the water. Therefore, it is possible to set up a hydropower plant at the outlets of such plants so that the wastewater is better utilized (Lucena et al. 1). By doing this, the government could provide affordable electricity to its people resulting in saving a lot of their revenue. Also, the method is environment-friendly, thus providing a safe environment for people to occupy. This move reduces the effects of global warming.
In recent years, there is an increased appreciation for the impact that hydropower has on different sectors in the world today. The fact that it reduces the production of greenhouse gases associated with the use of other energy sources means that it reduces global warming, thereby limiting climate change (Mori 15). Hydropower is very affordable, compared to other energy sources such as coal. Therefore it plays a role in reducing poverty by providing a cheaper alternative source of energy. This affordability makes it preferable over other sources. Also, since many people can afford hydroelectric power, technology plays a role in promoting prosperity in such areas. Electricity has become a significant component in many households, and hydropower avails this commodity at an affordable price.
Despite having some disadvantages, the uses of hydropower certainly have more advantages to offer. Presently, it accounts for 16% of the total global electricity production and 78% of renewable energy. It is an affordable technology that mitigates climate change and positively contributes to climate change adaptations concerning the availability of water resources. As a result, it is likely to remain one of the world’s leading sources of energy, with much of its significant potential still untapped (Berga 8). Researchers continue to look for ways to make hydropower projects friendlier to the environment, a move that will see its use spread to many other countries in different parts of the world.
Works Cited
Berga, Luis. “The role of hydropower in climate change mitigation and adaptation: a review.” Engineering 2.3 (2016): 313-318.Doi. 10.1016/J.ENG.2016.03.004
Fearnside, Philip M. “Do hydroelectric dams mitigate global warming? The case of Brazil’s Curuá-Una Dam.” Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change 10.4 (2005): 675-691.
Lucena, André FP, et al. “Interactions between climate change mitigation and adaptation: The case of hydropower in Brazil.” Energy 164 (2018): 1161-1177.
Mori, Nobuhito, et al. “Projection of extreme wave climate change under global warming.” Hydrological Research Letters 4 (2010): 15-19.
Yamba, Francis Davison, et al. “Climate change/variability implications on hydroelectricity generation in the Zambezi River Basin.” Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change 16.6 (2011): 617-628.