Hydropower is indirectly associated to solar energy, due to the fact that the sun evaporates water from the earth (Carless, Jennifer 1993). The evaporated water then returns to earth in the form of rain, sleet, snow, etc., filling waterways that eventually make their way into the oceans (Allaby, Ian 1990). The flow of the water in these streams and rivers is what conventional hydroelectric systems use for power generation.

The logic behind hydroelectric power is quite elementary: it simply uses the natural kinetic ene

http://www.ferc.fed.us/hydro/docs/waterpwr.htm, March 1998.

Water falls a distance of 90 meters; 80% efficiency

Water may provide a good source of electricity, but it is also an important habitat for wildlife as well as a cache of nutrients for the surrounding bionetwork. "Large-scale hydropower development projects have always met with some protests on environmental grounds, but objections to projects have increased in recent years" (Alam, Mohammed. 1995). When a hydroelectric power station is built in a river, or even when an existing system is retrofitted, there can be adverse effects on the local ecosystem (Carless, Jennifer 1993). (Large dams generally have larger impacts on an ecosystem than run-of-river facilities do) (Sims, Geoffrey, 1991). Experience has dictated that neglect of environmental aspects, dealing particularly with large dams, can lead to biological degradation (Sims. Geoffrey. 1991). By altering the stream ways of rivers and estuaries, it is inevitable that changes in important elements of the hydrological cycle are going to be made (Sims. Geoffrey. 1991). Fi!

Sims, Geoffrey P., Energy Policy. "Hydroelectric Energy." Butterworth-Heinemann Ltd. vol 19 n8,pp 776-786. 1991.

Hydropower systems around the globe, through the 1970 s, were typically large-scale dams used to satisfy the national power grid (which is the overall electrical consumption of a nation) (Carless, Jennifer 1993). Today, the new hydroelectric plants are generally smaller, breaking the large-scale project trend set many decades beforehand. This down-sizing is a direct result of a lack of suitable sites to build a large dam and the ever-increasing environmental and economic concerns (please refer to "Economically Speaking" or "That Little Thing Called the Environment" for more information).

Hydroelectric power is a highly credible and widely implemented renewable energy source. The simple design, and physics behind the technology makes it an attractive compliment to any nations power grid. Despite the environmental concerns and relative upfront costs, hydroelectric generation dispels worries about emitting hazardous materials into the environment. In addition to all of this, the operation and maintenance costs are much cheaper than the other conventional forms of energy production. Hydropower is a resource whose time has come, and future generations have much to benefit from this clean source of renewable electrical generation.

80% efficient a 1 kg/sec = 720 Watts.

Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 2806
Approximate Pages = 11 (250 words per page double spaced)