Power from Water
For today’s #DignayanBiyernes, let us talk about the oldest and most commonly used renewable energy source on the planet – hydropower.
Hydropower, also known as hydroelectric power, is generated by harnessing the natural energy of flowing water and converting it into mechanical energy using hydraulic turbines. In the Philippines, the most common hydropower system is set up in dams that store river water in reservoirs. These dams, often placed in remote locations, hold water to help control flooding as well as withstand periodic droughts. When water is released, the turbines turn and spin, generating electricity that is distributed through transmission lines for domestic and industrial use.
Although not free from sociocultural and environmental setbacks, such as obstruction of fish migration, change in water flow intensity, occupation of important sites and lands leading to the displacement of communities, etc., hydropower is reliable, renewable, and does not release pollutants into the environment.
If you want to know more about hydropower, visit us at the National Museum of Natural History by booking through this website.
Text and image by the NMP Geology and Paleontology Division
© National Museum of the Philippines (2021)
