Comparison of energy sources

Hydropower

Hydropower, or hydro energy, is a form of renewable energy that uses the

water stored in dams, as well as flowing in rivers to create electricity in

hydropower plants. 

How much does a hydropower system cost to build?

It’s quite difficult to make generalisations about the cost to build hydro

systems because of the different combinations of head (the change in water

levels between the intake and discharge) and maximum flow rate, and how

that affects the maximum power output and choice of turbine type.
• As with all power plants, maintenance is involved in the
successful running and operating of a hydropower system. 
•  hydropower plants usually require little maintenance, and
operation costs will be low.

• Fresh energy on reserve

• Hydropower is the most flexible renewable energy source. Aside
from providing electricity, a hydroelectric system like this offers
benefits such as helping with flood control, providing water
supplies and recreational usage. For those living in hotter
climates, this means receiving the necessary hydration during a
drought or preventing devastating floods for those downstream.
• Reservoirs and hydropower are often thought of as “clean
energy” because they don’t burn fossil fuels to produce
electricity.
• Hydropower, however, functions like a huge battery. The
simplicity of falling water spinning turbines that in turn create
the electromagnetic force to generate electricity means that
the reservoirs behind dams can be immediately used to
restart the electrical system.
• Hydropower is Reliable
• Hydropower is a proven renewable energy resource
generated and used in all regions of the U.S. for over a
century, today providing approximately 30 million homes with
affordable power.
• Fuels
A fuel is any material that can be made to react with other
substances so that it releases energy as heat energy or to be used
for work. ... The heat energy released by reactions of fuels is
converted into mechanical energy via a heat engin
Electricity can be generated from fossil fuels and nuclear power.
These energy resources are non-renewable.
All energy sources have negative effects. But they differ enormously
in size: as we will see, in all three aspects, fossil fuels are the
dirtiest and most dangerous, while nuclear and modern renewable
energy sources are vastly safer and cleaner.
Renewable Energy Costs Take Another Tumble, Making Fossil Fuels ...
at lower prices than the cheapest new coal, oil or natural gas
options.
• Nuclear energy
• Nuclear power plants heat water to produce steam. The steam is
used to spin large turbines that generate electricity. Nuclear
power plants use heat produced during nuclear fission to heat water.
In nuclear fission, atoms are split apart to form smaller atoms,
releasing energy
• The high cost of nuclear power. The cost of nuclear power is often
broken down into capital costs and operating costs. Capital costs
include site preparation, engineering, manufacturing, construction,
commissioning, and financing. Operating costs include fuel costs
(from uranium mining to fuel fabrication), maintenance,
decommissioning, and waste disposal. The capital costs of a nuclear
power plant are much higher than for energy sources such as coal
and natural gas—and the annual cost of repaying the initial
investment is substantially higher than the annual operating costs. 
• Nuclear is a zero-emission clean energy source.
• It generates power through fission, which is the process of splitting
uranium atoms to produce energy. The heat released by fission is
used to create steam that spins a turbine to generate electricity
without the harmful byproducts emitted by fossil fuels.

• Nuclear Power is the Most Reliable Energy Source and It's Not Even
Close
• Why Are Nuclear Power Plants More Reliable?
• Nuclear power plants are typically used more often because they
require less maintenance and are designed to operate for longer
stretches before refueling (typically every 1.5 or 2 years).