Every country should max up their hydro-electric power, it's eco friendly, doesn't burn up the resouces, cheap, and can actually enhance the environment. it might not be the solution for dry countries, but if all those with the wherewithall did it, it would make a huge difference globally.

Other alternatives include utilizing the heat in volcanic areas as they do in Iceland, (heating water to produce steam- I think they use it to drive generators, as well as pumping it directly to homes as a heating source).

Of course, for it to be effective globally, it would rquire a lot of co-operation...like that would happen!

Well heres a bit about hydro power. Here in Oklahoma we have the largest shore line of any man made lake and a bunch of large to small ones. The problem is all that water sitting in sunlight has changed the weather and its patterns .... ALOT!

Then theirs the problems with killing a river with reduced water flow and fish and other critters.

And since I'm being the :evil laugh: advocate here I will add that more birds are lost to hitting windows in buildings per year then deaths caused by wind farms.

We average at least 3 - 8 here at this house a year and we don't have that many windows, just stupid starlings!

yes to me hydro is the way to go .You would think with all the dams here they would use more hydro power BUT NO we burn up coal insted thats smart huh instead all the water has done is raise the humidity here

Then theirs the problems with killing a river with reduced water flow

Not convinced that happens, sure the water drives a turbine, but the water still has to move down river, albeit for the duration of it's travel through the turbine it's diverted. That shouldn't affect the ecology at all if the thing is well designed and well sited. Waterfalls are good spots, and with the introduction of salmon ladders, it doesn't affect the life of the river.

Man has used water power for centuries to drive mills, and latterly hydro projects, we still have fish.

Take a look at the US's main hydro dams and the lowered salmon levels even with the ladders.

hmmm so I may have been wrong on this part. Its not the hydro power or dam but the Army Corp of engineers who manage the lake level for the boating sportsman that is killing the rivers.

Thats true all of the dams here were manily built to make lakes not power

because if it gets to low cant get the boats out of dock i seen this on grandlake with the exwifes dads boat We had a dry summer and couldnt get the boat out and boy did the boat people complane about them letting the water lever get to low

Then every one complains when the area or half the state floods because the water wasn't controlled correctly

US's main hydro dams and the lowered salmon levels even with the ladders.

hmmm so I may have been wrong on this part. Its not the hydro power or dam but the Army Corp of engineers who manage the lake level for the boating sportsman that is killing the rivers.

So you didn't employ Scottish engineers then ....!

Of course not, their not that smart you know ......

So ..... I guess the point to the last few posts is that no system is perfect or infallible.

Any one thinking of going off grid might want to take a long look and do some en depth research at what ever energy solution appears to be right.

For us its Geothermal/heat pumps and a wind turbine.