Water Makes Power

Humanity's use of water as a source of power dates back thousands of years. Most recently it has been used as a source of renewable electricity.

In fact, the first electric grid in the United States was actually powered by the flow of a river. It provided enough electricity for a nearby factory plus the surrounding community where many of the workers lived.

The United States Department of Energy posted a video on the basics of water use for electricity, called hydroelectricity. The video explains how hydropower has become the largest source of renewable electricity production in the US. In the past, there had been concern over the environmental effects of large-size dams due to ecosystem disruption and associated methane gas emissions from the reservoirs they created. Methane is four times worse per unit than even Carbon Dioxide as a Greenhouse Gas. However, the video shows how technological developments have been addressing this issue as well as expanding the use of this plentiful, renewable resource.

Video: US Department of Energy, 2013, Energy 101: Hydropower

Thank you for reading and see you on the 10th with our first Enerbyte Country Profile!