I can't let one paragraph of the "A rather balanced view from Energy Biz.com email" go without comment. The author cites a New Scientist story that claims: > contrary to popular belief, hydropower can cause serious damage to the > environment. It says that hydroelectric dams produce significant levels >of carbon dioxide and methane because up to 28 percent of all artificial > greenhouse gas emissions could be from rotting vegetation in dams. "
Rotting vegetation could of course produce significant amounts of CO2, but not if the vegetation was largely removed before the impoundment was filled with water. Once the lake is established, photosynthesis could result in an amount of plant matter which may later decay and produce CO2 in low light or cold seasons, but the net effect is zero change in annual CO2 to the environment. Methane produced if anaerobic conditions prevail may be a more legitimate concern. The quoted story goes on to say: >"...Philip Fearnside of Brazil's National Institute for Research in the >Amazon, who estimates that the greenhouse effect from one Brazilian dam >was 3.5 times what would have been produced if oil had been burned." I wonder if such a statement was (irresponsibly) made simply to encourage opposition to dam building? As I said above, the possibly of high CO2 and CH4 could have been true in the first year, but would not hold true for the long run. Friends of hydropower, correct me if I am wrong. Chris ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> 1.2 million kids a year are victims of human trafficking. Stop slavery. http://us.click.yahoo.com/WpTY2A/izNLAA/yQLSAA/FGYolB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> Does your company feature in the microhydro business directory at http://microhydropower.net/directory ? If not, please register free of charge and be exposed to the microhydro community world wide! NOTE: The advertisements in this email are added by Yahoogroups who provides us with free email group services. The microhydro-group does not endorse products or support the advertisements in any way. More information on micro hydropower at http://microhydropower.net To unsubscribe: send empty message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/microhydro/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
