Consider another option:abben wrote:The four energies categories being debated are:
1. Fossil Fuel, Natural Gas, Coal
2. Nuclear
3. Wind/Solar/Hydroelectric
4. Fuel Cell, Hydrogen. Biodiesel, Ethanol, Methanol
I am doing #3.
abben wrote:Hydroeletric Power is the largest source of renewable energy in extistence today. It is 1/5 of the world's power, some countries (Norway) rely almost entirely on it.
abben wrote:3. Hydropower turbines kill fish.
The Oregon Dept. of Fish and Wildlife officially estimates that all Tribal, commercial and recreational fishing combined accounts for less than 5% of all human-caused immediate salmon mortality within the Columbia River Basin, and that roughly 90% of the remaining mortality is caused by the dams by killing baby salmon migrating downstream or as returning adults.
Devil wrote:1. It is not infinite.
... At this time, nuclear is about 35% of the production capacity and HE 65%. France is in an even worse situation, because a smaller percentage of its land area is suitable for HE: 76% nuclear, 24% HE.
2. It kills. Over the last 50 years an estimated 250,000 deaths have occurred globally...
3. It reduces crop growth.
4. It is seasonal.
5. It is not perpetual. The Alpine HE systems rely on glacier melt-off to fill the dams in summer. The glaciers are disappearing. What then?
6. It is not true that ecosystems are hardly affected. They cause great changes.
abben wrote:Oh, and does anyone have any figures for how much a completley off the grid solar system would cost, for someone using 866 Kw/H a month, living in New England? Because that would be awesome.
First task: cut that by 75%.abben wrote:Oh, and does anyone have any figures for how much a completley off the grid solar system would cost, for someone using 866 Kw/H a month, living in New England? Because that would be awesome.
abben wrote:2. It kills. Over the last 50 years an estimated 250,000 deaths have occurred globally...
Not only that, but in one incident in 1975, 62 dams broke in China drowning 230,000 (which makes me think your 250,000 number is low.) This is a serious problem. But if there are figures which can somehow compare the damage done by coal, oil, and nuclear power to the environment and directly to deaths of people, HE energy will quickly look prettier.
small_steps wrote:While you may be looking at the short term "victory" in this class project, when you gain knowledge and respect of the system, and what everyone is up against (not to mention your future offspring) you will come out much furthur head than you may possibly realize.
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