Quote:
Originally Posted by Hersbird
Actually very few already damed reservoirs have hydro generators on the outlets. That would be a start. Then take something like the Mississippi and add dams and generators every 50 miles. Not to create a reservoir but just to tap that moving water. Move the barge traffic onto rails.
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I believe that a majority of man-made reservoirs lack sufficient gravity potential for the hydraulic head,necessary to power a turbine-generator.Utilities installing pumped-hydro storage are currently forced to locate on top of existing hills/mountains,far above the turbine's elevation to get enough pressure differential across the turbine blades.Any fluid mechanics text would have the formulas for available power,given a specific elevation.It requires 32-feet of water column to develop an atmosphere of pressure (14.6 psi).Many hundreds of feet would be required to overcome a utility-scale generator.Edison used Niagara Falls,at 167-feet.The Oroville Dam is 770-feet.