Hydropower is one of the oldest sources of electricity, already responsible for generating around 52 percent of the United States’ renewable electricity generation according to the National Hydropower Association. There are challenges that hydropower will need to overcome, such as the impact that dams have on the environment and wildlife. Hydropower is also a popular source of renewable energy internationally, especially in China, which is one of the world’s largest producers of hydroelectric energy. There, dams—including the Three Gorges Dam, the largest power station in the world by installed capacity—produce more than 15 percent of the nation’s total energy. Hydroelectric power generation may soon be eclipsed by other renewable energy sources that are experiencing much faster rates of growth. READ MORE