| SOURCE | ADVANTAGES | DISADVANTAGES | ||
| Produce inexpensive electricity | Disrupt natural river flow | ||
| Reservoirs used for flood control, irrigation, drinking water, and recreation | Slow down river flow that can kill fish and other animals that depend on a steady flow | |||
| Renewable energy source | Alter water quality | |||
| Increases reliability of energy sources | Significant obstacle to fish and other animals | |||
| Improves air we breath | Can impede the natural flow of sediments | |||
| Fights climate change | Expensive to build | |||
| Small hydro plants using local rivers can be practical for some communities | Flooding large areas of land | |||
| – | Disruption or destruction of habitats | |||
| – | Displacement of Aboriginal and other communities |
| SOURCE | ADVANTAGES | DISADVANTAGES |
|
WIND | Energy production does not produce greenhouse gases | Old designs emit noise |
| Does not contribute to global warming | Some people do not like the visual impact created | |
| Farming and grazing can continue on land where wind turbine is located | Wind does not always blow or remain constant | |
| Renewable resource | Barriers to bird movement | |
| Inexhaustible | Cause fatal bird collisions | |
| Produces fuel source that can never be depleted | – | |
| No air pollution | – | |
| No water needed | – | |
| No need to tear up the ground or destroy habitats | – | |
| Small environmental footprint | – | |
| New designs emit minimal noise | – | |
| One wind turbine can supply a large area with energy |
