Summary and Final Tasks

Summary

Hydropower, geothermal and nuclear energy are not growing as fast as wind and solar (and don’t get as much good press) but all three are technically and economically viable options for producing carbon-free electricity at a large scale.  Moreover, unlike wind and solar, electricity output from these sources is more easily controlled and is less subject to the vagaries of wind speed or cloud cover.  Still, each of these resources has its own set of issues.  Many countries have basically tapped their rivers for hydroelectricity already and building large dams is environmentally destructive in its own way.  Geothermal resources are great where you’ve got them…but not very many places have them.  Nuclear energy represents a serious social dilemma: the promise of producing massive amounts of low-carbon energy alongside a host of economic, environmental and safety risks.

Reminder - Complete all of the Module 7 tasks!

You have reached the end of Module 7! Double-check the Module Roadmap to make sure you have completed all of the activities listed there before you begin Module 8.