Inside Climate News. (2023, September 1). Green Groups Are Divided Over a Proposal to Boost the Nation’s Hydropower. Here’s Why. Retrieved January 28th, from 

https://insideclimatenews.org/news/01092023/green-groups-divided-over-proposal-to-boost-hydropower-climate-change-emissions/

The industry for hydropower is looking to again become a primary producer of clean energy and to be able to increase the use of this hydroelectricity. Hydropower was once looked at to be a large part of the future for clean energy but was outperformed by its rivals such as wind and solar energy. Now, they are trying to argue that this hydropower can and will be very beneficial and provide the needed power that can be effectively used by many. A new bill has been introduced that would be able to accelerate the licensing process for these projects. This bill so far has gained lots of early support by many groups and it seems that it is going very well in the right direction, though it still has some pushback against it. It seems a growing study shows that dams can have significant carbon emissions. It seems that a lot of the pushback is coming from these emissions that will also contribute to climate change. Even though these bills are trying to be passed so this process of building these dams can be sped up, it seems it’s very possible that they could potentially be speeding up climate change. It has many groups thinking about this bill and having their opinions spread in many different ways. 

This article explains how while many people are for this type of energy and want increased dams that will allow for hydroelectric power, a lot of people are also against it. This is related to environmental science because we have talked about how this can very possibly be a big part of clean energy in the future but it seems that a lot of people actually don’t want it, and that’s also because it gives out carbon emissions on a large enough scale that it will not be as beneficial as previously thought. It seems that a lot of these so-called solutions actually have potential downsides that really do put in question their ability to be a working, efficient, and sustainable source of energy for the future.

AP News. (2023, December 14). Conservationists, tribes say dealing with the Biden administration is a road map to breach Snake River dams. Retrieved January 27th, from

https://apnews.com/article/salmon-tribes-snake-river-dam-energy-336a20cf02093fcdd725cb3047af8f29

The US government has recently claimed that they want to put forth over 1 billion dollars over the next ten years in an attempt to recover some of the depleted populations of Salmon that are in and around the Pacific Northwest as well as how to offset the benefits of the dams on the Snake River. The Biden administration as well as tribes and conservationists are now working together to be able to find a fair and equal solution to this problem that they are having with the lack of salmon. A new agreement has been made. The representative of Washington feels concerned that they will not have the proper energy, irrigation, or other benefits and that this was a decision made without them being involved. Under the agreement, the US will create and build more projects that will be able to produce clean energy that is replacing the dams that were built. It also says that additional water will be provided to counteract the issue. 300 million dollars is being spent to restore the fish. 

This article talks about issues that are affecting the wildlife around these. This is related to environmental science because we have also before talked about how these dams have an effect on the sea animals around them. For example, Lonely Larry the sock-eyed salmon. He was all by himself because of these dams that had been built and had lost the rest of his family. The issue with this is the loss of necessary energy from these dams and whether that energy will be able to be replaced by other projects. But on top of that too, the tribes are worried that if they are not taken down then the fish will not be able to live like they were once able to.

E&E News. (2023, September 20). Hydropower delays pose grid threat as permits lapse. Retrieved January 27th, from 

https://www.eenews.net/articles/hydropower-delays-pose-grid-threat-as-permits-lapse/

There have been over a dozen major hydroelectric projects in the past ten years that have been waiting for permits so that they can be built. Due to how long this process is taking, there is uncertainty about the future of clean energy for the planet, especially due to the increase of climate change and planet temperature. If these projects are continuously delayed or the permits for these projects expire, then it could mean problems for how reliable the power grid can be. Because hydroelectricity is a very large and important source of renewable energy then taking dams away and or not adding new ones could potentially risk losing lots of power that can be used by humans for any reasons necessary. It could also very well affect areas that have a very high reliance on this type of renewable energy. Taking away these sources could possibly leave some places in a very poor position. It says that these dams are needed so that California and the world as a whole can slash emissions.  

This article talks about the current issues that are going on with hydroelectric dams and the energy that is being collected from them. This is related to environmental science because we are talking about climate change and require ways to produce cleaner energy and lower emissions so that we can try and attempt to slow, stop, or reverse the effects that it is and will have on our planet. We have also before talked about how dams can be very environmentally unfriendly and that’s why some don’t like them as well as why people want them discontinued and or removed because of how they are impacting the environment and even ecosystems around them.

Shah, R. (2023, March 8). Advances in Hydroelectric Power Generation. Retrieved August 27, 

2023, from 

https://www.altenergymag.com/article/2023/02/advances-in-hydroelectric-power-generation/39093/

Hydroelectric power produces 6.2% of nations total energy. Though this concept has been around for a long time, there are still ways that this technology can be advanced and improved. There are these things called low-head sites that give way to new opportunities for hydroelectric power. They are small and dont take up much room length of height wise. They seems to have a small pump mechanism which compared to the big dams is very efficient and useful. It also talked about how pump storage is a very useful and vital part of these renewable energy processes. Tests of new materials might be able to improve the efficiency as well as lower the cost of alot of these projects. There are overall many new opportunities for this concept and it will allow us to keep getting renewable energy.

I think that the low-head structures are a great way to do smaller bodies of water. It barely effects the stream in any ways as well as fish dont really get too stuck in them. I also think that it is a great idea for them to experiment and try to figure out a material or group of materials for these structures because if they are able to find a more efficient way to build them and at a lower cost, they can one, start putting them in more and more places as long as they dont harm the environment or the ecosystem, and two, start putting them in places that some places might not be able to afford. Some places like Africa would be good, in the places where there could be little wealth, they can come in and put these structures that dont cost too munich money, and connect them to a generator or something that will allow the people to both gain and store power.

Bojek, P. (2023, July 11). Hydroelectricity. Retrieved August 27, 2023, from 

https://www.iea.org/energy-system/renewables/hydroelectricity

So far, hydroelectricity has and will remain to generate the world’s most renewable electricity. It will continue to play a vital role in the harvesting and use of renewable energy. Though it is at one point expected to be taken over by solar and wind energy, hydroelectricity has proven to be one of the most efficient and effective ways to gain natural energy. And even after it is taken over by wind and solar, it will continue to still be a large producer as a backup process. Pump storage can also very well be a part of the wind and solar era. The use and construction of these dams are expected to decline in the upcoming years. Places like China and Europe where many have been built are heavily slowing down their production, though, places like Africa are aiming to increase their construction of these. 

It also gives alot of statistics of the increases and decreases of production and energy and their effects. But I think that it would be a great idea if the countries that already have alot of these systems kind of bring their productions to a halt and maybe assist in people and resources to the places that dont have as many and are looking to build some. Also its interesting how important the pump storage system is still going to be after hydroelectricity starts to decline in use. I do think that the increase of solar and wind are good though because if they are being increased to a point that they are better and more efficient than hydroelectricity is and hydroelectricity is already generating this much energy and power, the increase in production for renewable energy will hopefully skyrocket.

Erika. (2023, January 12). HYDROELECTRIC DAMS: 12 THINGS (2023) YOU NEED TO   

KNOW. Retrieved August 27, 2023, from

https://gokcecapital.com/hydroelectric-dams/

Dams work by raising the water level from the body of water that it is in, then have the water shoot down large tunnels called penstocks then through a turbine propeller. It then creates energy that is pushed to a generator that sends it to a transformer to power lines and power stations. Some of these dams can last up to 100 years depending on how they are built. Though they are often very well maintained. Though they have a lot of advantages such as they allow energy to be created that is natural and does not release CO2, they also have downsides such as they stop or block the natural flow of rivers and streams that both cause problems for upstream and downstream, but also make it harder for fish. 

I think that, like many things, this way of gaining electricity is very efficient but also has its downsides to it that can make it a more obsolete choice for people and governments. I do believe that this is one of the better ways to gain energy because of how natural and in a technical aspect “easy” it is to gain, but I think that the harm that is done on the environment in the sense that fish can’t really push through these places doesn’t make it 100 percent efficient. I like the idea of the video that you showed up about the fish shoot that allowed them to hop the river quickly and efficiently, but it also might just end up being easier to keep it away from rivers and streams that have a lot of fish and try to make the primary spots ones that don’t have as big a population of living things if any at all to help combat the negatives.

Bearak, M. (2023, May 2). Is It a Lake, or a Battery? A New Kind of Hydropower Is 

Spreading Fast. Retrieved August 15, 2023, from 

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2023/05/02/climate/hydroelectric-power-energy.html

The traditional way of hydroelectric is turning into a new system called pump storage. It uses the same gravitational qualities of water just without dams. China has become one of the leaders in overall renewable energy and using this system is one of the big reasons why. China has as well stopped financing coal projects that will then cut off the burning of fossil fuels. Pump storage is the newest and most efficient way to get hydroelectric power. There is another one called run-of-river which as the name shows is mostly used on rivers. The only issue that can arise from using these hydroelectric processes is if there is an environmental disruption. Besides that, they are an efficient way of gaining energy naturally.  

I think that it is recently one of the most efficient ways to naturally gain energy and China is do9ng a great job with who they are approaching it. I also think that if the amount of these that are being built are affecting the atmosphere with fossil fuels, they should cut down on the production and or try to make a more non fossil fuel efficient way for it to work. I also think that using gravity as a part of the process is a very smart and efficient idea. Gravity is one of those things that can be very helpful in situations like there as well as have very very little to no downsides at all. Using gravity as a part of the process helps with having to use energy to get that water where it needs to go.

National Geographic Society. (2023, June 20). Hydroelectric Energy. Retrieved August 15, 2023, from 

https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/hydroelectric-energy/

Hydroelectricity is one of the most if not the most used methods of renewable energy in the world. About 71 percent of all of Earth’s renewable energy comes from hydroelectricity. There are multiple different types of energy plants that are able to produce this hydroelectric energy with the most common being something called an impoundment facility. An impoundment facility is a dam that controls the flow of water, the more energy needed the more water is released. There is also a diversion facility which uses canals instead of dams. Hydroelectric energy works by having controllable reservoirs that release water. Just before water spills over the top, it gains potential energy, and that potential energy is converted into kinetic energy.

The article talks about the process and use of hydroelectricity and how it is used worldwide in multiple ways to help with the production of natural energy. It is related to environmental science because the process is a renewable energy which is a very large part of environmental science. This article makes me hopeful that at one point in time, the United States and even the rest of the world will be able to rely on renewable energy with things such as hydroelectricity. I think if the idea of hydroelectricity can spread to everywhere around the world that it is possible to do so, and it starts to become a continuously practiced process, it will change the whole world in how we are able to gain and use electricity and not have to burn fossil fuels.