Brayden M asked:
Hey guys, what are (in your opinion) the advantages and disadvantages of any of the following types of hydro generation.
Fossil Fuel
Nuclear Power
Hydroelectric
Solar Power
Tidal Power
Wind Power
Thanks In advance!
Hey guys, what are (in your opinion) the advantages and disadvantages of any of the following types of hydro generation.
Fossil Fuel
Nuclear Power
Hydroelectric
Solar Power
Tidal Power
Wind Power
Thanks In advance!
They are not types of hydro generation, they are types of power generation. You could add geothermal.
Try this in Google:
~advantages ~disadvantages ~hydroelectric
Fossil Fuel:
Advantages
* Depending on fuel, good availability
* Simple combustion process can directly heat or generate electricity
* Inexpensive
* Easily distributed
Disadvantages
* Probable contributor to global warming
* Questionable availibility of some fuels…major price swings based on politics of oil regions
* Cause of acid rain
Nuclear Power
Advantages
* Almost 0 emission (doesn’t emit green house gases). It produces electricity without pollution
* Does not consume fossil fuels which are getting scarcer and more expensive,
* They can be sited almost anywhere unlike oil which is mostly imported.
Disadvantages
* More expensive to build the plant,
* Waste products dangerous and need to be carefully stored for long time. If not contained can cause a lot of damage and spread (ie Chernobyl). The spent fuel is highly radioactive and has to be carefully stored for many years after use. This adds to the costs.
Hydroelectric
Advantages:
* Once a dam is constructed, electricity can be produced at a constant rate.
* If electricity is not needed, the sluice gates can be shut, stopping electricity generation. The water can be saved for use another time when electricity demand is high. The build up of water in the lake means that energy can be stored until needed, when the water is released to produce electricity.
Disadvantages:
* Dams are extremely expensive to build and must be built to a very high standard.
* The high cost of dam construction means that they must operate for many decades to become profitable.
* The flooding of large areas of land means that the natural environment is destroyed.
One not on your list is magnetic power geneation… completely clean and nearly self-perpetual.