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6.1% is a huge amount of our power? The US generates 3x more electricity from nuclear than hydro: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:2008_US_electricity_generati

6.1% is a huge amount of our power? The US generates 3x more electricity from nuclear than hydro: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:2008_US_electricity_generation_by_source_v2.png http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:2008_US_electricity_genera... Most of the cost-effective places to build hydroelectric dams are already utilized. Also, the lakes created behind the dams displace people. By choosing a more expensive form of power generation, the economy is impacted. This is an often-overlooked external cost of renewables.

DaniFong 17y ago
It's 19% of worldwide electricity generation. http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/wuhy.html http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/wuhy.html Furthermore, hydropower may be throttled up and down, such that the combination of hydro + wind and solar can hit penetrations near 50% before more energy storage is needed. Also, wind power is less expensive on a kwhr delivered basis than coal. http://www.stanford.edu/group/efmh/jacobson/Ia.html http://www.stanford.edu/group/efmh/jacobson/Ia.html