Question

Hydroelectric power emit greenhouse gasses that contribute to climate change. Which of the following is the largest contributor to climate change from hydroelectric power plants?

A) Carbon Dioxide
B) Methane
C) Nitrous Oxide
D) Water Vapor

Answer 1

Methane is the largest contributor to climate change from hydroelectric power plants due to organic matter decay in reservoirs.

Step-by-step explanation:

The student has asked which greenhouse gas is the largest contributor to climate change from hydroelectric power plants. The answer to this is B) Methane. Just as burning of fossil fuels releases carbon dioxide (CO2), which contributes to climate change, the decay of organic matter in the stagnant water of reservoirs behind hydroelectric dams releases methane. Methane is a potent greenhouse gas, with a global warming potential much higher than that of CO2, though it is present in smaller quantities in the atmosphere.

Hydropower is generally considered a renewable and clean energy source because it does not directly produce emissions like fossil fuel-based power generation. However, certain environmental impacts, such as reservoir-induced methane emissions and obstruction of fish migration, need to be considered and mitigated.