While alternative energy sources – like wind, water and solar energy – offer effective green solutions, they sometimes need to be supplemented with generator power.
Today, as the world becomes increasingly aware of the need to reduce its dependency on fossil fuels, alternative forms of energy are becoming more and more widespread. These alternative energy sources often involve harnessing environmental elements – such as wind, tidal power and solar energy – to create an electricity supply for homes and businesses. However, the environment can be unreliable and some people advocate a dual approach that incorporates both green energy and the use of generators. So how exactly can this marriage of energy sources work?
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How Generators Can Support Hydro-Power Systems
Some countries rely heavily on hyrdoelectric energy, created at hydro-power plants that are situated beside large bodies of water – for example, reservoirs. However, if long-term rainfall is unexpectedly low, then reservoirs may deplete their resources at a quicker rate than energy experts predict. In such cases, generators can be used as a back-up to make up the shortfall in electricity supply. Similarly, if the demand for electricity outstrips the amount of power the hydro-plant is able to supply, then generators may be hired in order to create extra capacity until the plant can be upgraded.
One country in which generators have been used to support hydro-power is Sri Lanka. After several years of lower than expected rainfall, hydro-power supplies were dwindling and in order to conserve their resources, the government was forced to ration electricity supply and implement regular power cuts. However, a fleet of industrial generators were hired and put in place across the main commercial city of Colombo, thereby increasing the amount of electricity that could be supplied to homes and businesses. Essentially, generators provided an effective short term solution to meet the excess electricity needs until the reservoirs supplies were built up and a long term solution was put in place.