Hydropower is the world’s leading source of renewable electricity, generating more power in 2022 than [all other renewables combined](https://www.iea.org/energy-system/renewables/hydropower#tracking). But while hydropower is helping clean up our electrical grid, it’s not always a positive force for fish.
New environmental regulations can leave older facilities facing costly renovations or force them to shutter entirely. That’s a big problem, because pulling hydropower plants off the grid eliminates a flexible, low-emissions power source that can contribute to progress in fighting climate change. New technologies, including fish-safe turbines, could help utilities and regulators come closer to striking a balance between the health of river ecosystems and global climate goals.
That’s where companies like Natel Energy come in. The company is making new designs for the turbines with two big goals in mind: high performance and fish survival.
1 comment
**From the article:**
Hydropower is the world’s leading source of renewable electricity, generating more power in 2022 than [all other renewables combined](https://www.iea.org/energy-system/renewables/hydropower#tracking). But while hydropower is helping clean up our electrical grid, it’s not always a positive force for fish.
Dams that create reservoirs on rivers can change habitats. And for some species, especially those that migrate long distances, hydropower facilities can create dangerous or insurmountable barriers. In some parts of the world, including the [US](https://www.fws.gov/press-release/2023-08/removal-two-dams-lower-saranac-river-marks-milestone-atlantic-salmon), [Canada](https://publications.gc.ca/collections/collection_2017/mpo-dfo/Fs97-6-3207-eng.pdf), and [Europe](https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20240229-why-europe-is-removing-its-dams), governments have put protections in place to protect ecosystems from hydropower’s potential harms.
New environmental regulations can leave older facilities facing costly renovations or force them to shutter entirely. That’s a big problem, because pulling hydropower plants off the grid eliminates a flexible, low-emissions power source that can contribute to progress in fighting climate change. New technologies, including fish-safe turbines, could help utilities and regulators come closer to striking a balance between the health of river ecosystems and global climate goals.
That’s where companies like Natel Energy come in. The company is making new designs for the turbines with two big goals in mind: high performance and fish survival.
Read the story for more: [https://www.technologyreview.com/2024/07/01/1094435/fish-safe-hydropower/?utm_source=reddit&utm_medium=tr_social&utm_campaign=site_visitor.unpaid.engagement](https://www.technologyreview.com/2024/07/01/1094435/fish-safe-hydropower/?utm_source=reddit&utm_medium=tr_social&utm_campaign=site_visitor.unpaid.engagement)