Storage
Hydropower that derives its energy from a storage reservoir has important benefits.
The reservoir acts as perfect energy storage - the only commercially viable way in which this can be done. The scheme does not rely completely on the seasonal vagaries of rainfall or glacial melt. Power can be generated when it is required and is therefore very predictable. Storage brings with it the inundation of land and there is a requirement for careful mitigation of any negative environmental and sociological effects.
A new generation of large dam/reservoir projects is now underway where immense effort and expense is put into this sensitive area. Storage hydro associated with water supplies for human consumption and irrigation is another area of great potential development and dams are mostly built today as multi-purpose supplies of water.
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