BLUF

With soaring global energy prices, alternative energy sources are looking more appealing—and while embracing hydropower might sound like one of the ways to go, there are risks.

Summary

This article by Brahma Chellaney, writing for ASPI, makes the following points:
  • Hydropower is currently the most widely used renewable energy, accounting for almost half of all low-carbon electricity generation worldwide.
  • Its appeal is rooted in several factors, including being the most cost-competitive renewable.
  • The downside of hydropower is that it usually entails damming rivers and streams. 
  • And hydroelectric dams have a significant and lasting ecological footprint.
  • Dams and reservoirs emit significant amounts of methane, carbon dioxide, and nitrous oxide. Under some circumstances—such as in tropical zones—they can generate more greenhouse gases than fossil-fuel power plants.
Learn more about the downsides of hydropower.

References

References from the Web:
Source: Strategist (ASPI)