Today's Energy Thought

HYDROPOWER!

Outflow during a test at the hydropower plant at the
Hoover Dam, located on the border of Nevada and Arizona.

According to the Energy Information Administration, China, with 549.04 terawatt-hours, is the largest producer of hydroelectricity in the world, and Brazil at 387.1 terawatt-hours is second. Canada is the third largest producer of hydroelectricity with 363.5 terawatt-hours and the United States is fourth with 250.6 terawatt-hours. Rounding out the top ten following the U.S. are Russia, Norway, India, Venezuela, Japan and Sweden.

• Hydropower is the most important and widely-used renewable source of energy.
• Hydropower represents 19% of total electricity production.
• Approximately 2/3 of the economically feasible potential remains to be developed. Untapped hydro resources are still abundant in Latin America, Central Africa, India and China.
• Hydropower plays a major role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
• It's renewable - rainfall renews the water in the reservoir, so the fuel is almost always there.
• The largest hydroelectric power plant in the world is Itaipu, constructed on the Parana River in the areas adjoining the borders of Brazil and Paraguay.