The energy source receives relatively little interest compared to solar and wind power

Hydroelectricity is, as the name suggests, the method of providing electricity through hydro power. In Norway, Canada, Brazil and Venezuela the majority of electricity generated comes from hydroelectricity.

Incredibly, oil giant Norway produces 96% of its energy from hydroelectricity. Brazil is another hydroelectricity giant, with some 64% of electricity coming from hydropower projects.

It goes without saying that Hydroelectricity is a renewable energy source. The water cycle provides water to hydroelectric dams, which in turn use the pressure from dams to force water into turbines, which in turn move generators, providing electricity.

There are simple reasons why hydroelectricity is not considered a renewable energy source, despite the fact that it is the world’s biggest single source of renewable energy.

Unlike solar and wind power, which both have limited environmental impacts.

Hydroelectricity on the other hand does have some substantial environmental “costs”. While it does not produce pollutants in the same was that coal plants or oil and gas operations can, dams can have major impacts on the local environment.

From wildlife habits being destroyed to flooding of local areas, hydroelectricity has costs that other renewable projects do not.

Having said that, the advantages of hydroelectricity clearly outnumber the relative costs. Producing little in the way of emissions the projects are able to generate colossal amounts of energy.

For example, the Three Gorges Dam in China generates an incredible 99 terawtt hours in 2014 and has an installed capacity of 22,500 megawatts. Similar projects in Brazil held reduce the consumption of coal and oil and gas and enable governments to meet their power needs while leaving relatively small carbon footprints.

The controversy around dams and the fact that they are not included as a “renewable” energy source is undoubtedly due to the fact that there are costs associated with their construction.