Environmental Engineering Reference
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from hydroelectric dams than any other country. In 2005,
the dams provided about 65 percent of the country's needs.
The U.S. government estimates that the worldwide use of
hydropower will grow 2 percent each year through 2030.
Power in the Tides
Tidal power is also an old form of water power. It is sometimes
called lunar energy. The motion of the tides is affected by the
Moon, which was called luna in ancient Rome. Hundreds of
years ago, people saw that
the movement of tides
contained kinetic energy.
They built special dams,
called barrages, near the
basins where the tide went
in and out. Water illed the
basin during high tide, and
the barrage trapped it. At
low tide, the people opened
gates in the barrage. The
gates directed the lowing
water to a water wheel.
Tidal power can also
create electricity. Barrages
are still used for this
purpose. The water is used
to turn turbines rather than
a water wheel. The turbines
are connected to a generator
that creates electricity. The
Workers prepare to install an underwater
turbine in New York City's East River in
December 2006.
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