Do you know the disadvantages of hydropower? You might be shocked after hearing the term hydropower’s disadvantages. Because hydropower is one of the cleanest forms of energy and mostly it is considered that there are no disadvantages to it. But, in reality, there are some disadvantages to hydropower. Hydropower is mainly used to generate electricity and it is also used in cooling in the manufacturing industries. Without further delay let’s get started and have a discussion over the disadvantages of hydropower.
What Are The Disadvantages Of Hydropower?
Here is a list of some major disadvantages of hydropower that will give you some negatives of one of the cleanest forms of energy.
- Impact On Fish
- Limited Plant Locations
- Higher Initial Costs
- Flood Risk
- Carbon And Methane Emissions
- Susceptible to Drought
- Affects Environment Adversely
- Rely Largely On Local Hydrology
- It Displaces People
- Output Is Not Smooth
Disadvantages Of Hydropower
After knowing the disadvantages of hydropower energy you may get aware of its negatives also. So, let’s understand what are disadvantages of hydropower in detail one by one.
-
Impact On Fish
One of the common and fixed disadvantages of hydroelectric power is the loss of marine life especially fish. Because to construct a hydropower plant, running water resources must be dammed, this prevents fish from reaching their breeding ground, which, in turn, affects any animal that relies on those fish for food. As water stops flowing, riverside habitats begin to disappear. This can even remove animals from accessing water.
-
Limited Plant Locations
As you all know, hydropower plants need a bulk amount of flowing water and there is a shortage of reservoirs, ultimately there is a shortage of plant sites. Also, hydropower is renewable, there are limited places in the world that are suitable for plant construction. On top of this, some of these places are not close to major cities that could fully benefit from the energy.
-
Higher Initial Costs
You need a maximum budget to construct a single hydroelectric power plant. In fact, no power plant in the world is easy to build, hydropower plants do require you to build a dam to stop running water. As a result, they cost more than similarly sized fossil fuel plants.
Click here – What Are The Disadvantages Of Ventless Gas Fireplace?
-
Flood Risk
One of the worst disadvantages of hydropower in South Africa is the risk of flooding. Because when dams are built at higher elevations, they pose a serious risk to any town nearby that is below it. While these dams are built very strongly, there are still risks. The biggest dam failure in history is the Banqiao Dam Failure.
-
Carbon And Methane Emissions
Hydropower is renewable and also considered one of the cleanest energy sources but you can not deny that there are also some emissions. So, plants that are at the bottom of a reservoir begin to decompose. And when plants die, they release large quantities of carbon and methane-like gases.
-
Susceptible to Drought
While hydropower is the most reliable renewable energy available, it depends on the amount of water in any given location. Thus, the performance of a hydropower plant could be significantly affected by a drought. And as climate change continues to heat up our planet, this could become more common.
-
Affects Environment Adversely
The hydropower plant is a renewable source of energy but there are usually environmental impacts with building power plants. Most important of all is the pumped storage of hydropower which can affect the natural flow of the river system.
-
Rely Largely On Local Hydrology
Hydropower plants are reliable energy sources ultimately controllable by precipitation trends and the weather. However, most of the hydropower energy relies heavily on river water, and this means that droughts will cause an impact on the overall electric production, which can impact the capacity of hydroelectricity.
-
It Displaces People
Hydropower plants not only displace animals from their habitats, but they also displace people. The disadvantages of hydroelectric energy can have quite a large impact on communities. People who have lived in an area their whole lives may be forced to move, and although they are typically compensated for moving, it can not make up for what they have lost.
-
Output Is Not Smooth
As hydropower relies on the water flow and the amount of water left in the reservoir, its output also depends upon the flow of water. The output of the hydropower plant is directly proportional to the flow of water.
Now you know what are 10 disadvantages of hydropower are in detail. Let’s take a look at the advantages also.
Advantages Of Hydropower
The advantages of hydropower are,
- Renewable
- Emission fee
- Reliable
- Create lakes
- Adjustable
- Faster developed land
- It is inexpensive
- It is locally produced
- It can be used for irrigation
- It is a clean source of energy
Everything has its disadvantages on Disadvantagess you will get to know more.
FAQ
Which Of The Following Is Disadvantage Of Hydropower?
Disadvantages of Hydroelectricity:
Highly expensive. Large areas of human habitation and agricultural fields are submerged. Dams can be made in limited areas.
Does Hydropower Cause Pollution?
Hydropower is better for the environment than other major sources of electrical power, which use fossil fuels. Hydropower plants do not emit the waste heat and gases—common with fossil-fuel driven facilities—which are major contributors to air pollution, global warming and acid rain.
What Is One Disadvantage Of Hydropower Quizlet?
Disadvantage: A large area has to be flooded = leading to possible relocation of locals.
Why Isn’t Hydroelectric Power Used More?
One reason hydropower hasn’t taken more of the U.S. energy market is that it has a high investment cost, it requires a large amount of fuel, and is limited to areas near bodies of water. The amount of hydropower that can be generated, unfortunately, is also dependent on the amount of available water.
How Does Hydroelectric Power Work?
At the plant level, water flows through a pipe—also known as a penstock—and then spins the blades in a turbine, which, in turn, spins a generator that ultimately produces electricity. Most conventional hydroelectric facilities operate this way, including run-of-the-river systems and pumped storage systems.
Click here – What Are The Disadvantages Of Spring Water?
Conclusion
Above you have read all about the advantages and disadvantages of hydropower energy in detail. One of the best things about the hydroelectric power plant is its minimal operational cost. In other words, once you construct the hydropower plant then its operation does not need much money. But, there are several disadvantages and because of them, you may suffer. One of the worst disadvantages of this is the condition of drought, in this condition you need to completely shut down your plant until and unless water comes in bulk which is one of the biggest disadvantages of hydropower.
What are 3 benefits and 3 disadvantages of hydropower
What are the disadvantages of hydroelectric energy?