| LongmuirG 2005-12-25, 3:21 pm |
| Amanda Angelika wrote:
> ... there are plenty of fast flowing rivers that could be used
> to generate more cheap electricity ...
Sorry, Ms. Angelika, you are a victim of misinformation. Estimates of
the total amount of hydro-electric power theoretically available (based
on the amount of rainfall globally, and the average height of land
masses) run about 2 TeraWatt. Current global energy demand is
estimated to be in the 13-15 TW range. Even if we said damn (pun!) the
environmental consequences and built hydro-power plants everywhere we
could, we could barely cover 15% of current global energy demand. And
if you consider that the majority of your fellow human beings on the
planet today are living at an inadequately low level, global energy
demand needs to increase.
That is not to say hydro-electric power cannot make a contribution in
particular areas -- indeed, it is making a substantial contribution
already. But don't ignore the environmental consequences of this
so-called "green" energy source. It takes massive amounts of fossil
fuels to make concrete, build dams, mine the metals required, etc.
Those dams disrupt fish habitat and flood large areas of fertile
river-bottom land. And then the generating equipment wears out, the
dams deteriorate, the reservoirs silt up. Is that what you call
"sustainable"?
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