Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
The Sydney Desalination Plant, located
in Sydney, Australia.
the needed energy. At the
same time, it would not add
pollutants (substances that
contaminate water, air, or soil)
to the water being treated.
Some people think that
hydroelectric plants are ugly.
The massive dams, power
plants, and transmission lines
spoil the view in what used
to be beautiful outdoor areas.
Supporters of wave and tidal
power say these sources do
not have the same problem. The
turbines used to create electricity
with wave power are placed below
the water's surface and are out
of sight. Other methods of ocean
energy use buoys that sit far from
the shore.
Water power is clean and
renewable, and once a system
is built, the “fuel” that runs it is
free. For these reasons, many
governments and companies are
exploring all the different forms of
water power.
In Their
Own Words
“In the process of
developing ocean energy,
we might be able to
minimize [lessen] the
harmful effects of
greenhouse gas-induced
global warming on ocean
life and our planet.”
U.S. Representative Jay Inslee
of Washington
