The Future of the Mekong River: Hydroelectricity?

Conventional hydropower is one of the oldest and most well established among a growing number of technologies that provide low-emissions alternatives to fossil-fuel energy. Hydroelectric power systems are expensive to install but are also run on relatively low operating costs, allowing installation to break even years later – cost wise. These systems have long life expectancies when compared to solar power, and do not require extremely expensive replacement parts. They can also be easily upgraded to incorporate more recent technologies. Unlike the others, hydroelectric power is tremendously reliable. Major rivers do not dry suddenly, are filled with domestic resources naturally obtained, and contrary to fuel or natural gas, are not subject to market fluctuations. For increased dependability, most hydropower installations create reservoirs. These reservoirs offer incomparable operational flexibility in that they can immediately act in response to demands in electricity. The Colorado River hydropower system functions to allow the most energy production during the times that Las Vegas, Nevada and other popular areas require it most. Not only this, it allows for storage of potential energy while other modes of renewable energy are used (ex. Solar power on an extremely sunny day). A side benefit of these reservoirs is that they offer a variety of recreational opportunities, notably fishing, swimming, and boating. Reservoirs also act as storage centers of fresh rainwater usable for consumption and irrigation.

With the positives discussed, it is also important to talk about controversy surrounding installation of hydropower systems. A hydropower facility that is sited, operated, and mitigated responsibly can be considered clean energy, however many hydropower facilities fail to meet this standard. A poorly constructed and thought out hydropower set up can have enormous impacts on river health and the livelihoods of future generations of natural habitants that will depend on those rivers. Irresponsible hydropower development has caused some species to go extinct and put others at grave risk, (American Rivers). In the creation of reservoirs, sometimes-valuable land is flooded to make room and habitats are destroyed. Dams also hurt rivers; they block a river’s flow and harm water quality, fish and wildlife, and recreational opportunities. These large concrete structures block the natural flow of water, preventing seasonal flooding, but also upsetting plant and animal life that depends on those annual cycles for life-giving nutrients. Fish that depend on unimpeded access to upper reaches of waterways for reproduction are blocked from spawning in their traditional areas, threatening their survival. A recent problem affecting the Colorado River system is that in parts of the river, natural salts are accumulating on the basin, drastically increasing salinity of the water. Water is also evaporating, increasing the salinity in these parts even more, disrupting water quality downstream. The release of cold water at the dam system also affects the environment by impacting the temperature regimes. A problem with hydropower is that in the excitement of the discovery of innovative renewable energy, many systems were created without being thoroughly planned out for minimal habitat destruction and efficiency. Because of these reasons, some hydropower systems are not as great for the Earth as they seem. 

The truth behind the plans of the Mekong River dams.

Mekong River giant fish and dam facts, information

Water separates the Earth from other planets. It is the reason for life and a molecule that every living organism requires. Water makes up about 70% of the world, and it has an unlimited amount of uses, making it an insanely important resource to take advantage of. As the Earth’s natural resources rapidly deplete due to human consumption, it is important to look for other modes of energy. It is difficult to find methods of obtaining energy that are safe for the environment, cost effective, and efficient. Efficiency and output of energy is measured with capacity factors. A capacity factor is a ratio in which the actual output is compared to the maximum theoretical output. Fossil fuels and nuclear power plants have extremely high capacity factors that are difficult to match, ranging around 90%. Next to solar and wind power, hydroelectric systems have become an increasingly popular alternate form of renewable energy for the world. However, wind and solar systems have capacity factors of only 15% to 30%. Countries across the world have been rapidly attempting to convert to renewable energy resources. Denmark and Iceland have successfully managed to attain over 50% of the total energy used through renewable energies. The United States is also one of the highest producers of renewable energy, however they are also in the list of countries that consume the most fossil fuels. Countries around the world are beginning to follow in the footsteps of these other countries, chasing success in hydroelectric power similar to the United States’ Colorado River. Hydroelectric power has shown to be an extremely effective source of renewable energy, however, it is not perfect, and these imperfections have caused recent controversy in the decision to dam the Mekong River in Southeast Asia.