I-Hydropower inamandla amakhulu kakhulu avuselelekayo emhlabeni wonke, akhiqiza amandla aphindwe kabili kunomoya, nangaphezu kokuphindwe kane kunelanga lelanga. Futhi ukumpompa amanzi egqumeni, okubizwa ngokuthi “ugesi wamanzi opompayo”, kuhlanganisa ngaphezu kuka-90% wawo wonke amandla okugcina amandla omhlaba.
Kodwa naphezu komthelela omkhulu wamandla kagesi, asizwa okuningi ngawo e-US Nakuba emashumini ambalwa eminyaka adlule sibone ukwehla kwenani komoya nelanga kanye nokukhuphuka kwentengo, ukukhiqizwa kwamandla ngamanzi asekhaya kuye kwahlala kuzinzile uma kuqhathaniswa, njengoba izwe selivele lakha izimboni zokuphehla amandla ngamanzi ezindaweni ezifanele kakhulu ngokwendawo.
Emazweni ngamazwe, yindaba ehlukile. I-China ibhebhezele ukukhula kwayo komnotho ngokwakha izinkulungwane zamadamu amasha, ngokuvamile amakhulu, aphehla ugesi ngamanzi kule minyaka engamashumi ambalwa edlule. I-Afrika, i-India, namanye amazwe ase-Asia nasePacific amiselwe ukwenza okufanayo.
Kodwa ukwanda ngaphandle kokuqondisa okuqinile kwezemvelo kungase kubangele enkingeni, njengoba amadamu namadamu kuphazamisa imvelo yemifula nezindawo ezizungezile, futhi ucwaningo lwakamuva lubonisa ukuthi amadamu angakhipha isikhutha esiningi ne-methane kunalokho okwakuqondwa ngaphambili. Ngaphezu kwalokho, isomiso esiqhutshwa yisimo sezulu senza i-hydro ibe umthombo wamandla ongathembeki kangako, njengoba amadamu eNtshonalanga YaseMelika alahlekelwe inani elikhulu lamandla awo okukhiqiza ugesi.
“Onyakeni ojwayelekile, iDamu leHoover lizokhiqiza amandla afinyelela ku-4.5 billion kilowatt,” kusho uMark Cook, uMphathi weDamu eliyisakhiwo sodumo iHoover. “Njengoba leli chibi liyiyo manje, lifana namahora angama-kilowatt ayizigidi eziyizinkulungwane ezingu-3.5.”
Nokho ongoti bathi i-hydro ineqhaza elikhulu okufanele ilibambe ekusaseni elivuselelekayo ngo-100%, ngakho ukufunda ukwehlisa lezi zinselelo kubalulekile.
I-hydropower yasekhaya
Ngo-2021, amandla aphehlwa ngamanzi alinganiselwa ku-6% okukhiqizwa kukagesi osetshenziswayo e-US kanye nama-32% okukhiqiza ugesi ovuselelekayo. Ekhaya, bekuyiyona enkulu evuselelekayo kwaze kwaba ngu-2019, lapho yadlulwa khona umoya.
I-US akulindelekile ukuthi ibone ukukhula kwamandla kagesi omningi kule minyaka eyishumi ezayo, ngokwengxenye ngenxa yenqubo enzima yokunikezwa kwamalayisensi kanye nenqubo yezimvume.
"Kubiza amashumi ezigidi zamaRandi kanye neminyaka yomzamo ukuze kudlule inqubo yokunikezwa kwamalayisensi. Futhi kwezinye zalezi zikhungo, ikakhulukazi ezinye zezikhungo ezincane, azinayo leyo mali noma leso sikhathi," kusho uMalcolm Woolf, uMongameli kanye ne-CEO yeNational Hydropower Association. Ulinganisela ukuthi kunenqwaba yama-ejensi ahlukene abandakanyeka ekunikezeni amalayisense noma ukuphinda kugunyazwe indawo eyodwa yokuphehla ugesi ngamanzi. Uthe lolu hlelo luthatha isikhathi eside kunokunikeza isikhungo senuzi.
Ngenxa yokuthi imboni yokuphehla ugesi ngamanzi e-US ingaphezu kweminyaka engama-60 ubudala, eziningi zizodinga ukugunyazwa kabusha maduze.
"Ngakho-ke kungenzeka ukuthi sibhekene nenqwaba yabantu abanikezela ngamalayisense, okuxakayo njengoba sizama ukukhuphula inani lesizukulwane esiguqukayo nesingenayo i-carbon kuleli," kusho uWoolf.
Kodwa uMnyango Wezamandla uthi akhona amathuba okukhula kwekhaya, ngokuthuthukiswa kwezitshalo ezindala kanye nokwengeza amandla emadamini akhona.
“Sinamadamu angu-90 000 kuleli iningi lawo akhelwe ukulawula izikhukhula, ukunisela, ukugcina amanzi, ukungcebeleka, u-3% kuphela walawo madamu asetshenziselwa ukuphehla ugesi,” kusho uWoolf.
Ukukhula kulo mkhakha kuphinde kuncike ekwandiseni amandla okugcina amanzi ampontshwayo, azuza amandla njengendlela “yokuqinisa” okuvuselelekayo, ukugcina amandla engeziwe ukuze asetshenziswe lapho ilanga lingashoni nomoya ungavunguzi.
Lapho indawo yokugcina empontshwayo ikhiqiza amandla, isebenza njengemboni evamile yokuphehla ugesi: Amanzi ageleza esuka endaweni yokugcina amanzi eya phansi, ezungeza iturbine ekhiqiza ugesi endleleni. Umehluko ukuthi indawo yokugcina empontshwayo ingakwazi ukushajwa kabusha, isebenzisa amandla asuka kugridi ukumpompa amanzi ukusuka ngezansi ukuya endaweni ephakeme, ngaleyo ndlela igcine amandla anamandla angakhishwa lapho kudingeka.
Nakuba indawo yokugcina ugesi inamagigawathi angaba ngu-22 amandla okukhiqiza ugesi namuhla, kunamagigawathi angaphezu kuka-60 emiklamo ehlongozwayo emgqeni wokuthuthukiswa. Lokho kungokwesibili ngemuva kweChina.
Eminyakeni yamuva nje, izimvume nezicelo zamalayisense zezinhlelo zokugcina ezimpontshwa ziye zanda kakhulu, futhi kucatshangelwa nobuchwepheshe obusha. Lokhu kubandakanya izinsiza “ezivaliwe”, lapho kungekho damu elixhumeke emthonjeni wamanzi ongaphandle, noma izinsiza ezincane ezisebenzisa amathange esikhundleni samadamu. Zombili izindlela kungenzeka zingaphazamisi kakhulu indawo ezungezile.
Ikhabhoni kanye nesomiso
Ukugawula imifula noma ukwakha amadamu amasha kungavimba ukufuduka kwezinhlanzi futhi kucekele phansi imvelo ezungezile nezindawo zokuhlala. Amadamu namadamu sekuze kwasusa amashumi ezigidi zabantu kuwo wonke umlando, ngokuvamile imiphakathi yomdabu noma yasemakhaya.
Lo monakalo waziwa kabanzi. Kepha inselelo entsha - ukukhishwa okuvela emanzini - manje sekutholwa ukunakwa okwengeziwe.
″Abangaqapheli abantu ukuthi la madamu empeleni akhiphela i-carbon dioxide eningi kanye ne-methane emkhathini, okubili okungamagesi abamba ukushisa aqinile,” kusho u-Ilissa Ocko, uSenior Climate Scientist ku-Environmental Defence Fund.
Ukukhishwa kwegesi kuvela ekuboleni kwezitshalo nezinye izinto eziphilayo, ezibhidliza futhi zikhiphe i-methane lapho indawo igcwele izikhukhula ukuze kwakhiwe indawo yokugcina amanzi. "Ngokujwayelekile leyo methane ibe isiphenduka i-carbon dioxide, kodwa udinga umoya-mpilo ukuze wenze lokho. Futhi uma amanzi efudumele ngempela, khona-ke izingqimba ezingezansi ziphelelwa umoya-mpilo," kusho u-Ocko, okusho ukuthi i-methane ibe isidedelwa emkhathini.
Uma kukhulunywa ngokufudumeza umhlaba, i-methane inamandla aphindwe izikhathi ezingu-80 kuneCO2 eminyakeni yokuqala engama-20 ngemva kokukhululwa kwayo. Kuze kube manje, ucwaningo lubonisa ukuthi izingxenye zomhlaba ezishisayo, njenge-India ne-Afrika, zivame ukuba nezitshalo ezingcolisa kakhulu, kuyilapho u-Ocko ethi amadamu e-China nase-US awakhathazeki ngokukhethekile. Kepha u-Ocko uthi kumele kube nendlela eqinile yokukala ukukhishwa kwekhabhoni.
“Futhi-ke ungaba nazo zonke izinhlobo zezikhuthazo zokukunciphisa, noma imithetho yeziphathimandla ezehlukene ukuze uqiniseke ukuthi awukhiphi kakhulu,” kusho u-Ocko.
Enye inkinga enkulu ngogesi ophehlwa ngamanzi isomiso esiqhutshwa yisimo sezulu. Amachibi angashoni akhiqiza amandla amancane, futhi lokho kuyakhathaza ikakhulukazi eNtshonalanga YaseMelika, eye yabona inkathi eyome kakhulu yeminyaka engu-22 kule minyaka engu-1,200 edlule.
Njengoba izindawo zokugcina amanzi njengeLake Powell, eliphakela iDamu laseGlen Canyon, neLake Mead, eliphakela iDamu iHoover, likhiqiza ugesi omncane, izibaso ezimbiwa phansi ziya ngokuya zintenga. Olunye ucwaningo lwathola ukuthi kusukela ngo-2001-2015, kwakhululwa amathani ayizigidi eziyi-100 e-carbon dioxide ezifundazweni ezingu-11 entshonalanga ngenxa yokuguquguquka okubangelwa isomiso kude nogesi. Ngesikhathi sendawo enzima kakhulu eCalifornia phakathi kuka-2012-2016, olunye ucwaningo lwalinganisela ukuthi ukukhiqizwa kwamandla kagesi okulahlekile kubiza umbuso u-$2.45 billion.
Ngokokuqala ngqa emlandweni, kumenyezelwe ukushoda kwamanzi eLake Mead, okubangele ukuncipha kokwabiwa kwamanzi e-Arizona, Nevada naseMexico. Izinga lamanzi, njengamanje elingamamitha angu-1,047, kulindeleke ukuthi lehle kakhulu, njengoba i-Bureau of Reclamation ithathe isinyathelo esingakaze sibonwe sokubamba amanzi eLake Powell, esendaweni esenyakatho yeLake Mead, ukuze iDamu laseGlen Canyon likwazi ukuqhubeka nokukhiqiza amandla. Uma i-Lake Mead yehla ngaphansi kwamamitha angu-950, ngeke isakhiqiza amandla.
Ikusasa lamandla kagesi
Ukwenziwa kwesimanjemanje ingqalasizinda ephehlwa ngamanzi kungakhuphula ukusebenza kahle futhi kubuyise okunye ukulahlekelwa okuhlobene nesomiso, kanye nokuqinisekisa ukuthi izitshalo ziyakwazi ukusebenza emashumini amaningi eminyaka ezayo.
Phakathi kwamanje no-2030, imali eyizigidi eziyizinkulungwane ezingu-127 izosetshenziselwa ukwenza izitshalo ezindala zibe zesimanje emhlabeni jikelele. Lokho kubala cishe ingxenye eyodwa kwezine yokutshalwa kwezimali kukagesi ophehlwa ngamanzi emhlabeni wonke, kanye nokutshalwa kwezimali okucishe kube ngama-90% e-Europe naseNyakatho Melika.
E-Hoover Dam, lokho bekusho ukubuyisela kabusha amanye ama-turbines abo ukuze asebenze kahle ezindaweni eziphakeme eziphakeme, ukufaka amasango ewikhethi amancane, alawula ukugeleza kwamanzi kuma-turbines kanye nokujova umoya ocindezelwe kuma-turbines ukuze kwandiswe ukusebenza kahle.
Kodwa kwezinye izingxenye zomhlaba, iningi lokutshalwa kwezimali liya ezitshalweni ezintsha. Amaphrojekthi amakhulu, kahulumeni e-Asia nase-Afrika kulindeleke ukuthi asebenze ngaphezu kwama-75% wamandla amasha kagesi ngo-2030. Kodwa abanye bakhathazekile ngomthelela walezo zinhlelo emvelweni.
"Ngokombono wami othobekile, zakhiwe ngokweqile. Zakhelwe umthamo omkhulu ongadingeki," kusho uShannon Ames, uMqondisi Omkhulu we-Low Impact Hydropower Institute, "zingenziwa njengomfula futhi zingaklanywa ngendlela ehlukile."
Izinsiza ze-Run-of-River azibandakanyi indawo yokugcina amanzi, futhi ngenxa yalokho zinomthelela omncane endaweni ezungezile, kodwa azikwazi ukukhiqiza amandla ngokufunwa, njengoba ukuphuma kuncike ekugelezeni kwesizini. Ugesi ophehlwa ngamanzi ophuma emfuleni kulindeleke ukuthi uhlanganise cishe u-13% wesamba esiphelele sokwengezwa komthamo kule minyaka eyishumi, kanti ugesi ojwayelekile uzokwakha u-56% kanye ne-hydro pumped 29%.
Kodwa sekukonke, ukukhula kukagesi ophehlwa ngamanzi kuhamba kancane, futhi kulindeleke ukuthi kube nenkontileka cishe ngama-23% ngo-2030. Ukubuyisela emuva lokhu kuthambekela kuzoncika kakhulu ekuhleleni izinqubo zokulawula nezimvume, kanye nokubeka amazinga aphezulu okuzinza kanye nezinhlelo zokulinganisa ukungcola ukuze kuqinisekiswe ukwamukelwa komphakathi. Umugqa wesikhathi wokuthuthukisa omfushane uzosiza onjiniyela bathole izivumelwano zokuthenga amandla, ngaleyo ndlela kukhuthaze ukutshalwa kwezimali njengoba ukubuyiselwa kuzoqinisekiswa.
"Okunye okubangela ukuthi kungabonakali kukhanga kwesinye isikhathi njengokukhanya kwelanga nomoya yingoba umkhathizwe wezikhungo uhlukile. Isibonelo, imboni yomoya nelanga ngokuvamile ibhekwa njengephrojekthi yeminyaka engu-20," kusho u-Ames, "Ngakolunye uhlangothi, ugesi wamanzi unikezwe ilayisense futhi usebenza iminyaka engu-50. Futhi abaningi babo sebeneminyaka eyi-100 besebenza njengenzuzo yemakethe."
Ukuthola izikhuthazo ezifanele zokuphehla amandla ngamanzi kanye nokuthuthukiswa kwesitoreji esifuqwayo, kanye nokuqinisekisa ukuthi kwenziwa ngendlela esimeme, kuzobaluleka kakhulu ekukhipheni umhlaba kumafutha ezinto ezimbiwa phansi, kusho uWoolf.
"Asizitholi izihloko zezindaba ezenziwa obunye ubuchwepheshe. Kodwa ngicabanga ukuthi abantu baya ngokuya bebona ukuthi awukwazi ukuba negridi ethembekile ngaphandle kukagesi ngamanzi."
Isikhathi sokuthumela: Jul-14-2022
