Hydroelectric Energy Essay, Research Paper

Hydroelectric energy potentially is

the result of a fortunate coincidence in which

nature and the need to modernize, are combined

together in an on- going cycle. The cycle being

evaporated, precipitation and concentration.

Having water, though, does not necessarily mean

having hydroelectric potential. To be in usable

form, that water must be in continuous supply,

accessible and concentrated in rivers with a

volume flows and a descent rate, sufficient to drive

generating turbines. The only way that this system

would become non-renewable would logically be

if the lakes, rivers and streams dried up, therefore

the resource of water becoming unavailable. The

likeliness of this happening in our lifetime is next to

nothing, especially in Ontario and Quebec. These

areas have and abundance of lakes and

down-falling rivers. Availability The availability of

water in this area of the world is great. Being able

to have water flowing on a downward slope is

another story. It is useless if it is not flowing. The

steeper the water flows, the more electricity it will

produce. Hydroelectric plants can be turned into

what are called peaking units in areas where

power plants and high populations exist. That is

because electricity demand in an area can vary

widely over a period of time, sources that can

easily be turned on or off are needed to meet

demand peeks. Environmental Concerns Large

dame change a self-regulating ecological system

into one that must be managed. Placed on a river

without thought to their upstream and downstream

impacts they can bring disaster. Because lakes

cannot survive some of the abuses that rivers can,

traditional farming and waste disposal practices

must be changed. The dams themselves can be

threatened by the silting of reservoirs caused by

soil erosion, which may destroy a dams ability to

store water and generate energy. Dams can

endanger little known plant and animal species.

Many tropical plants or animals with potentially

high economic value will be lost forever if dam

reservoirs are built, because so many tropical

species have be yet to be named. Even where

threatened species have been indented, pressure

to destroy their habitats can be irresistible. Where

fish species migrate long distances to breed, dams

can decrease their stocks. The Columbia river

salmon fisheries in North America declined sharply

after dams were built there, despite programs to

build fish ladders and restock the river. How much

is there? In different areas of the world, water can

range to an abundance of it, to none at all. With

the hydrologic cycle there will always be the same

amount of water on Earth. It will just be

distributed differently throughout the biosphere.

Hydroelectricity can not be created unless there id

water running downwards. The question is, will we

always be able to have water flowing down? The

answer is no, not in all areas, for instance, billions

of dollars could be spent on building a huge

hydroelectric dam and then ten years later the lake

could dry up and that would be a total waste of

money. If there is no water running out of the lake,

or water reservoir and none running in, the water

is useless. In Ontario, all of the possible sites for

dams to create hydroelectric energy are being

used. Fortunately, we have more than enough

water to supply our population with electric

energy.