Can Hydroelectric Dams and Fish Coexist? This Company Says They Must, and It's Out To Prove How To Do It

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The following post was written and/or published as a collaboration between Benzinga’s in-house sponsored content team and a financial partner of Benzinga.

Hydroelectric dams are essential to the global transition from fossil fuels to clean energy. With climate change already wreaking havoc on the planet, it’s imperative to invest in renewable energy sources, and hydroelectric dams are a strong contender for the most efficient and bountiful source.

Other forms suffer from reliance and storage issues and despite major investments in battery technology from companies like Tesla Inc. TSLA and General Electric Co. GE, a 100% reliable grid cannot be based solely on wind and solar. Dams, however, produce electricity on demand, rain or shine. And they can act as natural batteries for other sources on the grid by using electric pumps below the dam to pump water back over the dam, essentially converting electric energy into potential energy.

Dams, however, have one major flaw: They can cause major damage to local fish species. Fish make astounding journeys upstream from the ocean to their breeding grounds. Some travel as far as 900 miles. To do this, they swim against currents and leap upwards of 12 feet to jump over obstacles. Most dams are massive and are far too tall for even the most athletic of fish.

When fish are blocked from traveling upstream, the damage radiates far beyond the fish themselves. Fish are an essential part of the food chain. Bears and other animals feed on them, and after spawning, they die, releasing critical nutrients into the local ecosystem.

To remedy this, some dams employ the use of a fish ladder. However, these are often ineffective. One study published in “Yale Environment 360” found that only 3% of American shad make it all the way upstream to their spawning grounds. The disruption of many fish species is well documented. And many conservationists have opposed the construction of new dams for decades for this very reason.  However, most dams have no fish passage and no hydropower.

But if the world is to effectively and quickly combat climate change, hydroelectric power must continue to be a core part of the globe’s energy mix. Hydropower must be part of the renewable energy solution if we are to have a reliable energy grid.

Whooshh Innovations has taken on the challenge of saving the fish. The company is helping the world to have its cake and eat it, too. Whooshh has built what it believes is a solution that provides fish safe passage in an efficient and cost-effective manner.

The company makes selective fish passage systems. An advanced modular system that automatically sorts and transports fish up and over any size dam using pneumatic tubes. When the fish swim up to the Whooshh Passage Portal, they are sorted by an artificial intelligence (AI) program to ensure only native species are given passage, effectively blocking invasive species.

These solutions fulfill the company’s mission of “Save, Feed, Grow.” The fish are saved, the planet is fed, and clean energy continues to grow. With this, the company believes it has created a win-win situation. Hydroelectric dams can continue to cleanly power the planet, and native fish species can continue to thrive.

If you’d like to know more about Whooshh, or even invest in the Company, check out its website here and click the Invest Now button to learn more. The Company is currently making its stock available for sale to the general public at startengine.com/whooshh.

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The preceding post was written and/or published as a collaboration between Benzinga’s in-house sponsored content team and a financial partner of Benzinga. Although the piece is not and should not be construed as editorial content, the sponsored content team works to ensure that any and all information contained within is true and accurate to the best of their knowledge and research. This content is for informational purposes only and not intended to be investing advice.