Question

Which of these are not the advantages of hydel power generation?
A. Pollution is rarely created
B. Reduces greenhouse emissions.
C. Relatively low maintenance costs.
D. It is renewable.

Answer 1

Hydel power generation is generation of electricity with the help of water that drives the turbine which converts the potential energy of falling water to kinetic energy. The turbine in turn drives the generator that converts kinetic energy to electricity.

Complete step by step answer:
There are various advantages of hydel power generation as compared to thermal, biomass and nuclear power plants.
Hydel power plants are fueled by water, and water is a clean fuel that means it will not pollute the environment like the pollution that is caused by burning fossil fuel like coal and natural gas. So, it can be said that rarely created pollution is not an advantage of hydel power generation. Rather it does noy create pollution in the environment.
Power generation reduces greenhouse emissions. It does not release carbon dioxide in the atmosphere as compared to other fossil fuels which releases a high amount of greenhouse gases when coal and natural gas is burnt.
One of the major advantages is relatively low maintenance cost as the hydel power plants have a long economic life up to 50-100 years. Also, the cost of construction is relatively low as it has very few parts in the plant so the maintenance cost is always low.
Hydel power is generated because of water so it is classified as renewable energy, which is a naturally replenishing resource. The major source of its renewability is the sun which causes water cycles to happen and thus replenishes water easily which further is used to rotate the turbine, when water falls from height that is the potential energy of water is converted to kinetic and then to mechanical energy. This rotating turbine drives the generator and thus converting mechanical energy to electricity. So, no non-renewable resource is used in hydel power generation thus forming it a renewable resource.

Note: various other advantages of hydel power plants are –It does not create any climatic changes in the environment. The cost of production of electricity is low as compared to others.
Hydel power plant also creates a variety of recreational opportunities like tourism boating fishing etc.