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usually hydroelectric comes under fire due to its environmental impact, because dams disrupt ecosystems. Actually, California right now doesn’t count large hydroelectric power plants in renewable energy targets. But regardless of how it is classified, hydropower is a low emission alternative to fossil fuels.
During times of high stress on the grid, reduced hydropower reliability is already causing problems, he says. Brian TarrojaAn energy researcher at the University of California, Irvine.
Last year, the Bootleg fire in neighboring Oregon affected several transmission lines in California at a time when rising temperatures were increasing demand for electricity. Running hydropower plants at their drought-reduced capacity while accelerating natural gas plants barely enough to keep the power on.
Tarroja says these challenges will continue. Climate change is changing precipitation patterns and causing higher temperatures even if overall precipitation remains constant. Effects are likely challenge hydroelectric in the next decades.
Locations with high levels of hydropower may need to start planning for the effects of climate change on electricity generation. It’s not just California: droughts in Brazil and China too threatened hydropower capacity in recent years.
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