The Pros And Cons Of Hydropower

Electricity is one of the oldest sources of sustainable energy. It can be generated in many different ways. The most popular methods include wind, hydroelectricity and solar power. These alternative sources can have their pros and cons. These pros and cons of electricity can be compared to the benefits and disadvantages of other fuels such as fossil fuels. These are also known as the key advantages and disadvantages of generating electricity using various methods.

Pros: Hydroelectricity, an example of a green energy source, helps in providing clean, renewable and cheap electricity. The generated electricity is used to power the hydropower facilities. Cons: Electricity generated with the use of hydropower facilities can pollute the air. Large areas of the river are needed to channel the water for hydroelectric facilities. This energy source cannot be used everywhere because of the presence of a scarcity of hydropower stations.

Hydroelectric power can generate electricity for a wide area even in times of severe shortage. It is a reliable and environmentally friendly source. There are some pros and cons of hydroelectricity. These pros and cons are compared to other renewable energy sources.

Pros: Hydroelectric energy is the cheapest way of producing electricity. Also, it is considered to be a reliable source. The generated electricity is not affected by climatic conditions. The disadvantages of this source are that there is a lack of hydropower stations in many locations. A large number of people are not able to access the hydropower station in remote areas. There is a lack of transmission lines, which can be installed to extend the reach of the hydropower facilities.

Solar panels and wind turbines are other options that can be adopted for generating electricity at home. They have pros and cons of their own. Photovoltaic panels use sunlight to convert into electricity using photovoltaic cells. They require a lot of space to store the collected energy. Also, there are parts that need to be maintained constantly for the conversion to work properly.

Wind turbines use wind blades to turn a generator and produce electricity. They are not commonly used to generate electricity at homes. Wind turbines require constant maintenance and have a lifespan of 20 years. The wind blades need to be cleaned on a regular basis to prevent dust build up. There are some states that prohibit the use of hydropower for the purpose of residential homes.

Storage hydropower is another option that is being explored for the purpose of residential electricity needs. The term storage hydropower refers to the use of dams for the purpose of storing excess power produced by renewable energy sources. Damming up rivers or pumping water from a lake could be a good solution if we want to store excess electricity produced by renewable energy sources. Some dams could even generate electricity without damming up the water. Storage hydropower works well in places where it is not feasible to pump the water by traditional means.

There are more pros and cons of each energy source. We just have to learn more about the pros and cons of each to decide which energy source is best for our home. Hydropower has some pros and cons that we have discussed here while solar power is an energy source with no cons or problems.

One of the biggest pros of hydropower plants is that it produces energy without pollution. In most countries, hydroelectric plants release no exhaust gases into the atmosphere. This makes this source environment friendly. It also helps prevent global warming. When there are enough wind and sunshine, the electricity generated by hydropower plants can easily balance out the output from other renewable energy sources.

There are some downsides to hydroelectric plants. Although it has very few pros, it is often more expensive to install than other renewable energy sources. There is also a danger of damage to the environment as chemicals used in the hydropower plant Leach into the water table and can damage lakes and rivers.

As you can see, there are some pros and cons of a hydropower plant to consider. If you would like to use hydropower to provide electricity for your home, you should look into ways to automate the plants so that you can automatically supply electricity to meet peak electricity usage at your home. Some of the automatic hydropower systems can even provide power to your whole home automatically.