Hydroelectricity is a type of renewable energy that has been around for quite some time and in many shapes, from waterwheels to the massive Three Gorges Dam in China. As climate change and scarcity lower the utility of fossil fuels, we must adopt more sustainable ways of producing electricity to meet demand more efficiently.
Though hydropower has key benefits over other renewable energy sources, such as providing electricity generation continuously, traditional designs for hydropower can damage the environment around them. To mitigate consequences, we have to look at main problems caused by typical hydroelectric models.
Unintended Consequences
We can agree that hydroelectric power is significantly better for the environment than fossil fuels, as are any other renewable solutions. When discussing renewables, however, an impasse is reached when looking at which type is the most efficient and have less unintended consequences. …
We have passed the tipping point for the amount of carbon in the atmosphere. Sea levels are rising and threatening coastal cities. Storms are becoming increasingly severe and unpredictable. The Earth is hotter than ever before. These are some of the consequences of anthropological activities that past and current generations have engaged on, driven partially by an inclination to ownership and personal enrichment.
During the third industrial revolution, the increasingly obsessive pursuit of wealth, combined with lack of awareness of the environmental impacts of releasing production byproducts without regulation led to high levels of pollution. …
