Posted by QuickReadAbout.com Staff in Moving water is a powerful force. Anyone who has ever been whitewater rafting can attest to the fact that moving water is a force that moves whatever is in its path. You’ve seen pictures on television of people in cars that have been overwhelmed by the force of moving water during a flash flood. Maybe you’ve seen some of Mother Nature’s magnificent waterfalls like Niagara Falls and been amazed at the incredible force exerted by moving water.
Even if you’ve ever just tried to swim or paddle a boat against the current (upstream), you’ve felt the force of moving water and you’ve likely discovered that that force is stronger than you are. If you’ve ever visited one of the many dams in America, you’ve seen that man has already harnessed the force of moving water.
Mankind has been using water power – or hydropower, as it’s often called – for a long time. In days gone by, waterwheels were used to take advantage of the power exerted by the force of moving water to run lumber mills and power stonecutting tools. So the idea of harnessing the power of moving water isn’t a new one.
Technology has come a long way, and the power captured by such crude devices as waterwheels has been replaced by twenty-first-century know-how. The Middle East is an unstable place. Many of the countries that we buy crude old from really hate America. “Death to America” is a common theme. It’s obvious that we need to develop systems that will deliver our own vast power needs. And moving water – hydropower – may well be one of the best alternatives to fossil fuel.
There are no harmful byproducts when the force of moving water is used to create electric power. We’ve already done it. Maybe we should think about doing more of it and sooner rather than later.