Did you know that ‘clean’ hydroelectricity can also be a source of dangerous methane emissions?
According to a global synthesis of greenhouse gas emissions from reservoirs, published in April 2024, of the 51 billion tonnes of greenhouse gases emitted by people every year, three billion tonnes are from methane which escapes from water.
About one-third of this amount is release by churning water in hydroelectric turbines.
The guilty gas is mainly methane, which is dissolved in water and then released as a result of water movement – the equivalent of shaking a bottle of fizzy water.
Interestingly, some businesses see opportunity. A number of start-ups are trying to capture the methane and use it for energy.
If you have brainstorm that could help the planet, and generate a sustainable business, why not join the Betterworld Solutions project and share your ideas.
