Speech

Water Energy Human Resources

Good morning honorable teachers and my dear friends, today’s discussion will be associated with water energy and human resources. Essentially, there are two types of energy that the modern world uses to do its daily chores: Renewable and Non-renewable energy. Renewable energy can be sustained for long periods of time while non renewable energy sources like coal and petroleum are perishable and polluting. One of the most important types of renewable energy is Hydro-electricity i.e. electricity generated by flowing or falling water. It is currently contributing to 16 % of global electricity consumption with 3,427 terawatt hours of electricity production. It is produced in 150 countries. Can anybody tell me the largest producer of hydropower? Yes, its China, producing more than 5 percent of world energy using water.

Energy from water can be produced by building turbines in a dam in a river or by making barrages across the mouth of a river. The major advantage of using this energy source is that it uses less manpower and does not create any pollution. Hydroelectric power stations can run for long periods of time with relatively low maintenance costs. The efficiency of this mode of power generation is around 90% along with zero chemical waste.

These days, floods are proving to be menacing, taking many lives along with it. By constructing hydropower stations one can provide considerable flood protection to downstream areas. It can also be used to breed fish and other aquatic species. The lakes formed due to dam construction can be useful for recreational activities. Since, the water is stored in a reservoir, whenever the power demand is high, dam’s gates can be opened to produce more power. Therefore, it can easily meet the power supply-demands.

On the other hand, there are some disadvantages of employing hydropower. The major hindrance is the high investment costs incurred in such a project. Apart from construction costs, it can change river or stream quality, thereby disrupting the marine life and surrounding ecosystems. Since, not every river is compatible for building a dam; hydropower stations are not completely safe for humans. Another big drawback is the threat of ‘flash floods’. If a dam breaks, surrounding areas get flooded in no time causing fatalities.

The building of large dams can cause serious geological damage. For example, the building of Hoover dam in the USA triggered a number of earthquakes. It can also cause altering in water table. A prime example is the Aswan Dam in Egypt where salts and destructive minerals got deposited in the stone work as a direct result of changing water level underground.

There are many advantages and disadvantages of using water energy as I said. But, one of the most burning questions that youth faces today is: “How can we fulfill our energy needs if coal and petroleum run-out?” Is the answer Water energy? Well, only time will tell. Thank you.