Hydroelectric Plants Generate Doubts About Sustainability And Scientists Create A Turbine Fixed Directly In The Flow Of Rivers, Eliminating The Need To Build A Dam
The water source is one of the largest in the world, currently responsible for half of all renewable energy production. However, the sustainability of hydroelectric plants has been a major concern, as building dams has been almost equivalent to installing thermal power plants. Thus, a team of scientists from the University of Michigan in the USA has created a giant turbine named “current turbines,” which eliminates the need to create dams. Are you looking for job openings? Rede Globo opened a selection process with hundreds of internship vacancies for technical and higher education students.
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Scientists Prove The Effectiveness Of The Turbine In The Xingu River

According to one of the scientists, Suyog Chaudhari, turbines that can replace hydroelectric plants in some cases can be placed in river channels and do not significantly interfere with the natural flow of the river. The scientists created a hydrological model that generates expectations about the energy generated by the two types of hydroelectric plants, taking advantage of the entire watershed.
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In the case of the Belo Monte hydroelectric plant, scientists concluded that two-thirds of the energy produced by the plant could be generated using only turbines in the current of the Xingu River, without the need to build a dam. The experts also noted that depending on the location, the results of the turbines tend to be even better.
According to Chaudhari, in five selected locations where there are plans to build dams for hydroelectric plants in the near future, it was found that all the energy could be generated using the new current turbines.
In addition, it was also discovered that energy generation through current turbines can be cheaper than with dam hydroelectric plants, due to the much lower environmental and social costs when using turbines in the river’s current.
Partnership With Natel Energy Promises To Revolutionize The Industry
The engineers from the U.S. National Renewable Energy Laboratory have also built their own model to analyze and study the issue, and are already “getting their hands dirty” in a partnership with Natel Energy.
In this case, the approach is broader, yet hybrid, including small hydroelectric plants and storage ponds at each waterfall, aiming to create a system to meet regional energy needs and ensure stable supply. According to scientist Gia Schneider, the issue has been addressed from the perspectives of ecological and economic sustainability, building a model that helped understand the trade-offs between downstream flow impacts and revenues.
According to the researcher, the study showed that the revenue reduction from the operational changes required to achieve all environmental goals is small, less than 4%.
Small Turbines Linked In Series
Scientists are working on small turbines that can be used in series to best take advantage of river flow without the need to build dams, preserving river connectivity for fish, navigation, and sediments.
According to the scientists, with the use of electronic power systems and controls, the small hydroelectric plant can be managed with other nodes to meet energy needs.
This flexibility allows the plant to generate reliable renewable energy, with dispatchable energy storage when needed, enabling system operators to integrate less flexible renewable energy resources, such as wind and solar energy.
Graduated in Journalism and Marketing, he is the author of over 20,000 articles that have reached millions of readers in Brazil and abroad. He has written for brands and media outlets such as 99, Natura, O Boticário, CPG – Click Petróleo e Gás, Agência Raccon, among others. A specialist in the Automotive Industry, Technology, Careers (employability and courses), Economy, and other topics. For contact and editorial suggestions: valdemarmedeiros4@gmail.com. We do not accept resumes!

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