Ooooo, a Thursday post. How unusual! (4) Hydroelectric Power vs. (5) Offshore Wind
Hydroelectric Power
Everyone knows what Hydroelectric Power (HP) is, even if they don't know it's called that. Think of the Hoover Dam and you have a pretty big picture of it.
Impact on the Environment (9/15):
HP is alternative energy, so it should be really good for the environment, right? Wrong! Yes, it does drastically cut back on the amount of carbon emissions in the air, but you also have to build a big dam that blocks off a section of a river. This causes flooding and displaced cities and whole sections of the river that fish can't live in and people can't boat down. Yes, you can have HP that doesn't need to block the whole river, but most of the time you don't end up seeing that.
Practicality (7/10):
HP is somewhat practical. Yes, people live near rivers a lot of the time, so it makes sense to have HP close to where people live, but you have to realize that these people need the river for their livelihoods, like fishing and transporting things by boat.
Sustainability (10/10):
This funny thing about modern alternative energy is that the ideas behind them have been around for thousands of years. HP (in the form of water wheels) has been used much the same as wind power. And dams last a long long time. The Hoover Dam has been around for 75 years and is still working. How many people do you know that have been working for 75 years?.
Awesomeness (7/10):
I have to admit, I've never been to the Hoover Dam. But I have been to smaller HP dams around Cleveland and they were awesome, just to a lesser degree.
User Input (0/5):
You probably knew that your favorite was going to win, so you chose not to comment. I admire your confidence!
Offshore Wind
Offshore Wind (OW) is pretty much the same as yesterday's wind power, but on the water. Pretty simple, right?
Impact on the Environment (13/15):
I'll give this one extra point over wind power just because you don't need to take up valuable farm land or forest land to have OW farms.
Practicality (5/10):
Just to balance things out, I'll give this two less points than onshore wind power because it's insanely hard to sink the pylons into the bottom of the ocean. I've heard there's only one or two ships in the world that have the ability to carry the giant metal things out there and that have the stability to be able to drive them in straight and go deep enough. And don't even get me started on putting cables all across the ocean floor.
Sustainability (9/10):
I have to give this a 9 just because the salty water will corrode the OW turbines much faster than their onshore counterparts. They'll still be around longer than you and I will be, though. Unless of course the whale uprising takes place sooner than I expect, of course.
Awesomeness (9/10):
Wind Power Awesomeness = Offshore Wind Power Awesomeness.
User Input (1/5):
Now I know how politicians feel because I was lobbied to endorse Offshore Wind Power!
Alright, let's tally those scores!
Hydroelectric Power: 33
Offshore Wind: 37
Upset!!!!!!! Not a huge one, but still a (5) beat a (4). Come back tomorrow and see if (6) Geothermal can take out (3) Waste to Energy. Oh, and tomorrow I'll explain the rules for the second round of the Tournament!
WtE will WASTE geothermal. As in, WtE will burn up the competition.
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