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Harnessing the power of water has been used for centuries for many useful purposes. Initially it was used for irrigation and operating various machines, such as windmills and dock cranes. But these days it has a more important use: as a renewable source of electricity.

Nowadays hydro-power is generated in 3 different ways: hydroelectric power, tidal power, and wave power.

Hydroelectric Power:

Hydro-electric dams produced up to 90% of the world’s alternative energy, so it plays a vital role. Here, dams release water through huge turbines, which are spun by the force of the water.

The advantage of this type of power is that not only does it produce electricity, but the dam helps collect water for our use, so it’s a power and water source in one. Furthermore, the force of the water is so strong that megawatts of electricity can be produced to help power entire cities.

The disadvantage is the devastating effect dams can have on plants, animals and even humans. When dams are built they flood large tracts of land that were once occupied by various species and communities of people. Furthermore, the water-borne animals, such as fish can also be affected. An example would be salmon that are blocked from swimming upstream to spawn by the newly erected dam.

Tidal Power:

The second most popular type of hydro power, tidal energy is produced by currents caused from the natural ebb and flow of the tide.

It has been used in Russia and France since the 1960’s in large estuaries and bays. On method is used where water from the high tide is blocked and then channeled through turbines back into the sea as the tide goes out.

The only drawback with using such a system is that it only operates as the tide turns, which is every 6 hours.

Another, more modern tidal energy system works where large turbines (that look like wind turbine) are sunk in the shallows, and are spun by the shifting tidal currents.

Since this system is an underwater version of a wind turbine, the technology is up to date and refined. Also, water has a high density than air, so the turbines can spin in the lightest of currents.

The problem is these turbines can only be built in shallow sea floors, where marine life can be damaged and other enterprises, such as oyster farming, is affected.

Power from the oceans waves:

This is the youngest of the three hydro-power solutions. The system harnesses the power from ocean surface wave motion, where air displaced by waves is driven through a generator than spins a turbine. The end result is electricity. These generators can either be coupled to floating devices outta sea, or fixed along the shore where seas are rough.

Although this technology is relatively new, it has been estimated that there is enough energy in ocean waves to produce up to 2000 Megawatts of power.

But, like any renewable energy system, there are environmental implications. These systems can damage the various corals and other ocean species along our coastlines. And the hydraulic fluid used could cause major water pollution if it ever leaked out into the sea.

Conclusion:

Man has come up with ingenious ways to harness the power of nature to produce electricity, hydro power being one of them. Although it is an important renewable energy for the future, there is still much controversy over its long-term environmental impact.

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