Hydropower: A Greatest Source Of Renewable Energy

Today the United States and the world are trying to find a new, cleaner, more efficient way of producing energy. The United States alone uses mostly coal, oil to produce energy throughout the nation. The problem with this is that these sources of energy are considered finite resources. This means that eventually these resources will run out and cause the price of them to rise significantly when they become scarce. The solution to this problem is to use renewable energy sources such as wind, solar and hydropower. Hydropower is a great source of renewable energy. Two devices used in hydropower would be The Aquabuoy and the CETO Technology. The Aquabuoy is a new technology that was produced by scientists in Canada who are part of a company called Finavera Renewables. The Aquabuoy is a 10-foot wide buoy and it has a metal shaft that is submerged into the ocean water 70 Feet deep. As the buoy bobs up and down water is put into an acceleration tube, which then turns a large piston, then the steel reinforced hose gets pulled tightly acting as a pump. The pressurized water then turns a turbine in which electricity is made. The electricity is then transported back to land via a standard submarine cable. Just one Aquabuoy could make up to 250 kilowatts of power per unit, the equivalent of powering close to 100 homes. Since most of the Aquabuoy is submerged in water it wouldn’t ruin the landscape of a scene, unlike a wind power turbine. Another new technology of wave power is CETO Technology. Just like the Aquabuoy the CETO Technology uses pressurized water to make electricity through a turbine. Although the key differences are that it is a fully submerged unit that can lie about 60- 160 ft deep in the ocean. It is the buoyant act...

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...applies to farmers and businesses. Another advantage of solar panels is that they require very little maintenance, which keeps more money in the owner’s pocket. Disadvantages of solar power are that it only works when the sun is out. Solar panels also tend to be very expensive but their price is decreasing significantly. Solar panels also require large heavy batteries to store the energy they produce throughout the day. Solar panels can get dirty which can cause a decrease in efficiency and may require the owner to clean them frequently.
Renewable energy is what everyone will resort to when the oil reserves eventually run out. Wind, Hydro, and Solar power are promising ways of creating energy now and in the future. These three types may have both their advantages and disadvantages but all sources of energy renewable or not have their advantages and disadvantages.