Impacts of Science: Electric Power Production in Haiti Around the globe, 1.2 billion people require access to electricity or suffer a shortage of it. This problem is present in nearly every country but is more significant in developing countries where many fatalities have occurred due to ‘no light’. Public hospitals experience medical catastrophes, agricultural produce goes to waste, students in stuffy conditions fail tests, and more problems like these take place every day (“1.2 Billion People Lack Electricity”). Haiti, in Central America, is a country where these problems occur because only about 40% of the country has consistent electricity access (“Haiti - Energy | Privacy Shield”). The reason why it has such little access to electricity is that it is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere and it suffers from devastating natural disasters that frequently affect their agriculture sector which deals with two-fifths of their economy. Other problems such as poverty, political uncertainty, lack of foreign aid, drought conditions and depreciation in their national GDP are some of the reasons as to why Haiti’s electricity access lies at about 45.3% (“Access to Electricity (% of Population) - Haiti | Data”). Majority of the country’s revenue is reinvested into rebuilding livestock, animal and vegetation farming, crops and infrastructure. Thus leaving no room for renewable and non-renewable sources of electricity given as to how expensive they are (“Central America :: Haiti — The World Factbook - Central Intelligence Agency”). A method of mini-grid electricity that is a reasonable scientific solution is hydro-powered turbines or generators, as the water flow from torrents and torrential floods will automatically initiate small scale power generators, capable of producing sufficient electricity to power shelters and other safe zones for a specific period of time. If turbines are damaged, they can still be engineered to work the day after a climate disaster (Team Arcadia). Furthermore, the new “smart” mechanisms (e.g. sirens, lights, voice messages on speakers) added to modern gauges of water turbines will self-activate multiple warnings to inform the people for their evacuation if the water level of rivers reach critical levels (“Climate CoLab”). Since modern-day hydrogenated generators are mobile, small in size, have multi-functional features and are resistant to water damages; Haiti can easily implement it into its economic investments for energy sources. Although it’s expensive, It would be worth the money. Hydro powered plants convert the kinetic energy from falling water into mechanical energy using a spinning turbine and other gears to cause a generator to spin [refer Fig. 1]. This action converts the mechanical energy from the turbine into electrical energy (“How Hydropower Works”). This solution is effective because Haiti is surrounded by a massive waterbody which can be used effectively for hydropower without the worry of insufficient water. This means that there will be constant electricity production, as long as the water is flowing. Micro-hydro schemes have been implemented in remote and rural areas so that they can bring electricity to entire communities, providing lighting and communications for homes, schools, buildings, clinics and small businesses (The Haiti Sustainable Energy Programme). Since Haiti is heavily dependant on their environment, building small plants will have an insignificant environmental impact on water-bodies, and, even though the initial construction costs are high, employment is provided to the local population during the construction phase. This would boost GDP per capita, employability and improve the overall economy for Haiti. Other renewable sources like wind and solar energy are not as effective because solar power relies on clear skies. The panels could also be heavily damaged due to the frequent occurrence of natural disasters in Haiti, which makes this factor quite expensive. For wind power, topography and obstacles highly impact wind speeds and since the wind constantly fluctuates, there would not be a constant energy flow. Furthermore, employability would remain the same with the implementation of windmills. This only creates a hazard to wildlife. Hence proving that hydropower has an advantage over solar and wind power. Fossil fuels and other non-renewable energy sources are extremely expensive and damaging to the environment because it contributes to global warming and further negatively impacts their climate. It also prevents the country from performing its agricultural tasks due to mining. One major limitation of hydropower in Haiti is a drought (Almerini). This country faced many droughts which emptied their territorial waters. This would affect their hydropower generators if they are only built next to rivers and lakes. However, given the suitable location of Haiti, hydropower generators can use the ocean’s tidal currents and barrages to keep the inflow of electricity. Another drawback of hydroelectric power plants is that they may affect the marine life that resides in Hait’s waters due to the unnatural movement of water. This may impact the country’s fish market as there may be a smaller amount of fish being sold and/or caught in the sea. Ultimately, though, this is a smaller sacrifice compared to the much larger benefits Haiti receives by implementing hydropower generators in the country. Such factors prove that hydropower would be quite efficient for the economy and electrical access for the country. Economically, hydropower fuels prosperity globally due to its affordability for the government because it is a one-time investment and is durable. Residents and businesses are also satisfied with the reasonable rates on electric bills. Moreover, there are subsequent benefits from the development of new business and job creation to increased agricultural production and recreational opportunities (“Economic Benefits”). Hydroelectric dams also produce more electricity than any other renewable energy sources so it’s a viable alternative to fossil fuels (“What Are the Most Used Renewable Energy Sources in the World?”). Unlike fuel or natural gas, river water is a domestic resource which is not subject to fluctuations in the market. Another economic advantage of hydropower is that, as a result of the irrigation benefits of hydropower, the Northwest in the US has nearly 8 million more acres of farmland. This irrigation takes place in many regions of the world and therefore allows countries to work with free fertile land to produce more crops, adding to the success of their economies. In contrast, some economic disadvantages are the dangers to marine life which disrupts markets; and the accidental flooding of the reservoirs occurs due to too much rain or a lack of monitoring (“Examining the Pros and Cons of Hydropower”). Bibliography: Websites - - - “1.2 Billion People Lack Electricity. 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HAITI SUSTAINABLE ENERGY THE HAITI SUSTAINABLE ENERGY PROGRAMME Increasing Energy Access in Haiti and Supporting New Solutions to Energy Poverty. Almerini, Ana. “Hydroelectric Energy Pros and Cons.” Solar Reviews, Solar Reviews, 14 Dec. 2019, www.solarreviews.com/blog/hydroelectric-energy-pros-and-cons. “Economic Benefits.” Bpa.Gov, 2020, www.bpa.gov/Hydroflowshere/Pages/Economic-Benefits.aspx. “What Are the Most Used Renewable Energy Sources in the World?” Power Technology | Energy News and Market Analysis, 6 Jan. 2020, www.power-technology.com/features/featurethe-worlds-most-used-renewable-power-sources-41 60168/#:~:text=Hydropower%20is%20the%20most%20widely,global%20renewable%20power%2 0generation%20capacity. “Examining the Pros and Cons of Hydropower.” Manufacturing.Net, Sept. 2018, www.manufacturing.net/chemical-processing/article/13245967/examining-the-pros-and-cons-of-h ydropower. 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