So what you're saying is....
Solar requires more copper than the generators at the Grand Coulee Dam?
www.utilityproducts.com: The Columbia River Basin generates 40 percent of all U.S. hydropower
Quote:
Hydroelectric power plants located on the river and its tributaries account for 29 GW of hydroelectric generating capacity and contributed 44 percent of the total hydroelectric generation in the nation in 2012, according to the Energy Information Administration.
The steep gradients of the Columbia River and its tributaries make it ideal for the production of hydroelectric power. The size of these facilities can vary. With a net summer capacity of 6.8 GW, the Grand Coulee Dam, located in Grant County, Washington, is the largest hydroelectric power plant in the U.S. and the sixth-largest in the world.
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The surprise for me is that there is another 60% available elswhere. And also, there is untapped potential in distributed micro-hydro.