Benefits and Drawbacks of Hydroelectricity

Abstract

Hydroelectricity is the word used to describe to hydropower produced electricity; the generation of electricity by the use of dropping or moving water's gravitational influence. This is the most commonly utilized source of solar energy, accounting for 15 % of global electricity generation, generating 3,427 terawatt-hours of electricity in 2010, and for the next 25 years it is projected to rise by around 3.1 percent per year. Hydropower is generated in 130 countries worldwide, with 32 percent of global hydropower being generated by the Asia-Pacific region in 2010. With 721 terawatt-hours of output in 2010, World’s largest producer of hydroelectricity, accounting for about 17 percent of domestic electricity consumption. The Three Gorges Dam and Xiluodu Dam in China, Itaipu Dam across the Brazil/Paraguay border, and Guri Dam in Venezuela are now 4 hydroelectric power stations greater than 10 GW. The value of hydroelectricity is considerably lower, making renewable energy a profitable resource. The overall price per kilowatt-hour of electricity from a hydro station greater than 10 megawatts is 3 to 5 U.S. cents. It is also a versatile source of electricity because, in order to adjust to increasing energy requirements, the quantity generated by the station can be adjusted high or low quite rapidly.Damming, nevertheless, prevents the flow of the river and therefore can affect local habitats, and it also includes the relocation of people and animals to create large dams and reservoirs. The project generates no direct waste and has a substantially lower production level of greenhouse gases (CO₂) than fossil fuel based power stations once a hydroelectric plant is built.