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Is wind power more reliable than water power?

Wind power and water power (or hydropower) have been used for a very long time, for tasks such as milling grains. They are now mostly being used to generate electricity.


Wind power is dependent on the flow of air, which is ultimately created by the heat from the sun. Even in the most windy areas, there are times when the conditions are really calm and the wind speed is very low. In such times, the...

Wind power and water power (or hydropower) have been used for a very long time, for tasks such as milling grains. They are now mostly being used to generate electricity.


Wind power is dependent on the flow of air, which is ultimately created by the heat from the sun. Even in the most windy areas, there are times when the conditions are really calm and the wind speed is very low. In such times, the power output from a wind mill or wind turbine is low. 


In comparison, water power or hydropower is dependent on the fall of water from a storage. In other words, we collect the water of a stream in an impounding reservoir (behind a dam) and use the potential energy of this water to generate electricity. Since the levels of water can be maintained in the reservoir and there is typically always some water in there, water power can be generated constantly. 


In this way, we might deduce that water power is more reliable. It would depend greatly on the location, though.


Hope this helps. 

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