6.4.6

Increasing Energy Supply - Water

Test yourself

Water (Hydroelectric Power)

Water high above the ground is a store of gravitational potential energy. Hydroelectric dams trap water and allowing it to fall rotates a turbine, which turns a generator.

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Advantages

  • Renewable.
  • More reliable than wind and solar.
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Disadvantages

  • Hydroelectric dams often change the paths of rivers, which can move people out of houses and harm local wildlife.

Jump to other topics

1The Challenge of Natural Hazards

1.1Natural Hazards

1.2Tectonic Hazards

1.3Weather Hazards

1.4Climate Change

2The Living World

3Physical Landscapes in the UK

3.1The UK Physical Landscape

3.2Coastal Landscapes in the UK

3.3River Landscapes in the UK

3.4Glacial Landscapes in the UK

4Urban Issues & Challenges

5The Changing Economic World

6The Challenge of Resource Management

6.1Resource Management

6.2Food

6.3Water

6.4Energy

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