The 21st Century Version of Hydropower

Hydropower, using dams and waterfalls to generate electricity was a major development in the 20th century. It takes energy directly from nature in a sustainable way but doesn’t have all of the negative impacts like pollution that traditional forms of generation have. But we’ve maxed out on hydro. So what’s the next all natural energy source that’s right for the 21st century?

I was in a conversation the other day when the topic of hydro-power came up. Under different circumstances, I’d be all over hydro like a cheap suit — in a good way, that is. What’s not to like about hydro? The discussion was over how to make more renewable power couldn’t we make more dams? Unfortunately, a good thing, like hydro, is not an infinite resource.

Hydropower is a good idea except that in many areas rivers are already dammed, so the prospect of creating more hydropower is remote. Hydro contributed 16.6 percent of the world’s total electricity and 70 percent of all renewable electricity in 2015. But in 2018 wind generated power surpassed hydropower in the amount generated for the first time according to the New York Times.

In 2015 hydropower contributed 25 percent of all power from alternatives in the US, however, alternatives only comprised 10 percent of all energy consumed. While it’s used extensively in the US, it’s difficult to suggest where…