A waterfall power-plant produces energy 24/7 whether the townspeople are awake or not. They consume energy in the form of electricity during the day. At night,

A waterfall power-plant produces energy 24/7 whether the townspeople are awake or not. They consume energy in the form of electricity during the day. At night, they have no need for it shut off the turbines. This is unused and uncaptured energy that could have been put to use. The potential energy is "wasted" because the infrastructure is underutilized, the energy could not be preserved. This is starting to change as battery technology improves and makes it economically feasible to store energy. Otherwise, energy consuming applications could consume this supply, providing return to the townspeople's investment.