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Jonathan Laksana
Mrs. Zierenberg
ELA
January 29, 2016
Hydropower, the Best Energy Source?
Hydropower is a reliable and efficient source of energy. Using hydropower has many pros
and not many cons. It is not harmful to the climate like nonrenewable energy sources and we can
harvest hydropower almost anywhere.
Hydropower is energy created by the kinetic energy of water. Dams are built in specific
areas and create reservoirs. Water goes through the dam and spins turbines. A shaft is connected
to the spinning turbines and spin a generator. There the generator produces electricity. There are
about 6,500 dams in the United States, 2,000 which produces hydroelectricity.
A couple of hydropowers best pros are that it is renewable and reliable. We need solutions
to the global warming crisis. Since hydropower is renewable and doesnt give out emissions, we
can use this as one of the solutions. According to Energy.Gov, Hydropower can be harvested in
any type of weather because the dams are built to control the amount of water that goes through.
The only thing that the dam cant control is when the area is experiencing a drought such as
California today.
Hydropower is also cheap and available almost anywhere. To harvest hydroelectricity,
dams need to be built in a suitable area with water and preferably mountains around it. The water
being used can come from anywhere from rain or melted snow. In the last 60 years, hydropower
production has increased 900 percent. After the dam is built, only maintenance is needed to run
it.

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Nothing is perfect, even hydropower. Hydropower dams raise the water level greatly and
flood nearby land and destroy the environment. If there are no mountains or hills to keep the
water contained in a small area, water can flood acres of land. Forests can be destroyed and
migration of fish is affected. Also the cost for building a dam is expensive.
Finally, hydropower is safe and clean to use. Hydropower is the most efficient energy
source. About 90 percent of the energy from water gets converted to electricity. When a
hydroelectric dam is built, working in the dam is very safe and only require occasional
maintenance, as said before.
In conclusion, hydropower is one of the best energy sources out there. Since it is clean
and cheap, implementing hydroelectric dams have little negative effects. Hydropower is the
answer to global warming and a lot of the world is using it. So why not use it?

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Bibliography
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Society, National. "Hydropower Facts, Hydropower Information- National Geographic".
National
Geographic. N. p., 2016. Web. 22 Jan. 2016.
"Facts About Hydropower." Facts About Hydropower. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Jan. 2016.
"Environmental Impacts of Hydroelectric Power." Union of Concerned Scientists. N.p., n.d.
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Jan. 2016.
Us, A., Maehlum, M. and Mhlum, M.
Us, About, Mathias Maehlum, and Mathias Mhlum. "Hydroelectric Energy Pros And Cons Energy
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