Essay On Hydropower

1. Introduction
Renewable energy refers to the energy that comes from natural resources, such as sunlight, geothermal heat, wind, rain and as well as tides, which are renewable – able to replenish themselves naturally and continuously over a short period of time. This energy do not diminish and is always restored.

Most of the electricity in Brunei is produced by gas-fired power stations in which the resources come from the use of fossil fuels. When fossil fuels are used, they release carbon dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide, carbon monoxide and others as well. This is one of the causes for increase in global warming, thus, responsible for climate changes. They are one of the energy sources that are non-renewable as they come from the fossils that will no longer be available once we use them up. The supplies are limited and they are depleting at a

The existing hydropower capacity that the hydropower produces is about eighty thousands megawatts (MW – one million watts or one thousand kilowatts). Hydropower power plants convert the energy that comes from the flowing water into electricity. The use of dams on rivers are the most common form of hydropower. The dams are used to create large reservoirs and then, the released water will come through turbines which later produces the electricity. (NREL, 2001)

Hydropower plants do not produce air emissions into the atmosphere but they can affect the water quality and natural habitats of wildlife animals. However, hydropower plants are now being designed and operated to minimise the impacts on the river. For example, by diverting a portion of the water flow around the dams to mimic the natural flow of the river but it is also reduced the power plant’s output. Other approaches such as improved turbines are also used to assist fish with their migration and lower the number of fish being killed. (NREL,