Energy Pros & Cons
Hydropower
Hydropower harnesses the energy from flowing water.
Pros
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Hydropower is non-polluting |
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It is renewable - water flows are replenished by the hydrologic cycle, which is powered by the Sun |
Cons
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Hydropower only makes sense for countries with suitable climates and topographies |
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Building dams can involve diverting rivers, flooding farmland and countryside and displacing local people |
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Wildlife habitats are disrupted and fish can die in the blades of the turbines |
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Forests are often cut down to build the accompanying infrastructure |
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Dams can trap silt which would otherwise enrich soils downstream |
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Flooding is a potential hazard if the dam bursts or the reservoir fills with silt |
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Damming cross-border rivers can result in disputes with neighboring countries downstream |
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| 1 |
Dam: Holds back the water creating a large reservoir |
| 2 |
Intake: Gates open, releasing flow of water towards turbine |
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Turbine: Force of water turns turbine blades |
| 4 |
Generators: Spinning turbine generates an electrical current |
| 5 |
Transformer: Converts electricity from the generator to usable voltage levels which can be fed to the national grid |
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