Hydro is definitely highly geography dependant, and certainly the environmental impact can be severe. Though there’s also been great advancements in smaller scale “low head” hydro where you don’t need to submerge half a valley or block migratory paths. Hence curiosity where hydro stacks up.
I suppose it’s so geography dependant you can’t make a meaningful global average to compare with other forms.
Then again in my particular neck of the woods solar is limited at best, for half the year. While the local landscape is nothing but mountains, valleys , lakes and rivers. So many lakes and rivers.
Another neat thing about hydro is that it’s a renewable base load. Geothermal is another, but that’s also highly geography dependant
Gravitation water vortex power plants seem to be more flexible and have less environmental impact than traditional hydro power.
Though the tech still seems to be in its early stages.
Another neat thing about hydro is that it’s a renewable base load
I think it goes even further, you can even use it as a long-term energy store, entirely disconnected from any rivers, possibly entirely underground which also avoids the environmental repercussions of blocking off rivers and creating big artificial lakes. I feel like this is an underresearched/underfunded field, solar power is kinda desperate for energy storage technologies especially in countries closer to the poles.
Hydro is definitely highly geography dependant, and certainly the environmental impact can be severe. Though there’s also been great advancements in smaller scale “low head” hydro where you don’t need to submerge half a valley or block migratory paths. Hence curiosity where hydro stacks up.
I suppose it’s so geography dependant you can’t make a meaningful global average to compare with other forms.
Then again in my particular neck of the woods solar is limited at best, for half the year. While the local landscape is nothing but mountains, valleys , lakes and rivers. So many lakes and rivers.
Another neat thing about hydro is that it’s a renewable base load. Geothermal is another, but that’s also highly geography dependant
Gravitation water vortex power plants seem to be more flexible and have less environmental impact than traditional hydro power.
Though the tech still seems to be in its early stages.
I think it goes even further, you can even use it as a long-term energy store, entirely disconnected from any rivers, possibly entirely underground which also avoids the environmental repercussions of blocking off rivers and creating big artificial lakes. I feel like this is an underresearched/underfunded field, solar power is kinda desperate for energy storage technologies especially in countries closer to the poles.