The twenty-first century has witnessed one of the most significant transformations in the history of energy production. For more than a century, global economic development has depended largely on fossil fuels such as coal, crude oil, and natural gas. Most of the world's industrialization, urbanization, technological advancement, and improvements in quality of life have been made possible by these conventional energy resources. However, this dependence has also had significant effects on the environment, such as an increase in the amount of greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere, a decrease in the quality of the air, a decline in ecosystems, and an acceleration of climate change. As global temperatures continue to rise and weather patterns become increasingly unpredictable, the transition toward renewable and sustainable energy sources has become one of the foremost scientific, technological, and political priorities of modern society. Electricity demand is anticipated to continue rising in the coming decades as a result of rapid population growth, urbanization, electrification of transportation, industrial expansion, and digital infrastructure, according to international energy assessments. Emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, cloud computing, electric vehicles, desalination plants, hydrogen production, and advanced manufacturing are expected to consume enormous quantities of electricity. Consequently, future energy systems must not only generate more power but must also do so while significantly reducing carbon emissions and minimizing environmental impacts. Renewable energy technologies have therefore become central to achieving global sustainability objectives. Solar photovoltaics, wind turbines, geothermal systems, biomass conversion, tidal power, wave energy, and hydropower collectively represent the primary alternatives to fossil-fuel-based electricity generation. Each renewable resource possesses distinct operational characteristics, geographical requirements, advantages, and technical limitations. Solar energy offers abundant potential but depends heavily on daylight availability and weather conditions. Wind energy has experienced remarkable technological development; however, wind speed variability introduces intermittency that often requires complementary energy storage or grid balancing strategies. Geothermal resources are only available in suitable geological areas, but they provide dependable baseload power. Hydropower has historically occupied a unique position among renewable energy technologies because of its ability to provide stable, predictable, and dispatchable electricity generation. Unlike solar and wind energy, flowing water possesses relatively high energy density and predictable seasonal behavior. Consequently, hydropower has become one of the world's largest renewable electricity sources, contributing hundreds of gigawatts of installed capacity worldwide. Despite these advantages, conventional hydropower is increasingly recognized as presenting considerable environmental, ecological, financial, and social challenges. Large-scale hydroelectric dams fundamentally alter river ecosystems, interrupt fish migration pathways, modify sediment transport, inundate extensive terrestrial habitats, and often require the relocation of nearby communities. Furthermore, reservoir construction demands substantial civil engineering investment, prolonged construction schedules, complex permitting procedures, and significant maintenance requirements. These limitations have motivated researchers and engineers to investigate alternative methods for extracting renewable energy from moving water without fundamentally altering natural river systems. Rather than storing water behind massive reservoirs, modern hydrokinetic technologies seek to utilize the kinetic energy naturally present within continuously flowing rivers, canals, estuaries, and tidal channels. Among these innovative solutions, HydroQuest technology represents one of the most promising developments in sustainable hydrokinetic power generation. By eliminating the need for large dams while maintaining continuous electricity production, HydroQuest offers an alternative pathway toward environmentally responsible hydropower development.
Md. Safwan Abdullah (Thu,) studied this question.