Canada, making the most of hydroelectric power!

Known around the globe as a trailblazer in the utilization and development of renewable energy, Canada is near the top of the list in the use of  hydroelectric power.  Second only to China in  hydroelectric power production, two-thirds of the electricity produced in Canada is derived from  hydroelectric power.  This statistic also places Canada in a relatively small group of countries which obtain the majority of their electricity using the power of water.

Because hydroelectric power production uses falling water to generate electricity, one does not have to stretch his imagination too far to think of Niagara Falls as a natural choice for the site of a hydroelectric plant.  In fact, the world’s first such power station was built at Niagara Falls.  To produce hydroelectricity, dams are built, often on rivers, and allow water to fall onto a spinning turbine inside the dam.  As the turbine spins, it generates electricity.  This type of renewable energy is nearly pollutant free due to its dependence on the naturally occurring forces of gravity and water.  Only slight carbon emissions are given off by the motors in the dams that control gates and some pumps. 

Applying falling water to the production of energy predates its application in producing electricity.  According to The Canadian Encyclopedia, by the early 1870s up to twenty hydro-power machines were produced per day at just one Canadian factory.  These machines were used in factories such as sawmills.  As Thomas Edison began to produce electric generators in the 1880s using belt-driven turbines, Canada quickly developed the technology to adapt its hydropower plants into hydroelectric power plants.  The country’s abundant rivers easily allowed it to emerge as a pioneer in the hydroelectricity industry. 
Quebec in particular leads the charge of Canada’s sizable hydroelectric power industry.

Over 90% of Quebec’s electricity is generated with this renewable energy.  Established in 1944, Hydro-Quebec is the world’s largest hydroelectric company.  This government-owned utility is responsible for the distribution of electricity across Quebec.  Hydro-Quebec maintains a network of 59 dams and one nuclear plant.  Over 92% of the power supply sold by the firm is obtained from hydroelectric power.  Quebec’s extensive river system is ideal for the placement of dams on waterways such as the Manicouagan, La Grande, and Saint-Maurice Rivers as well as Churchill Falls.  The hydroelectric dam at Churchill Falls is the one of the largest in North America.

Though hydroelectric power plant development has slowed in Canada since the 1970s, they can still lay claim as a worldwide leader in the use and production of this renewable energy source.