Citation

Inhaber H. Energy 1978; 3(6): 769-778.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1978, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/0360-5442(78)90043-9

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

As in any energy system hydroelectricity can have risks to workers and to the public. When "risk accounting", or the summing of the risk to human health from the entire energy cycle, is used, hydroelectricity has fairly substantial values. It ranks fourth lowest in a selected group of 11 energy technologies, which are ordered as follows: natural gas, nuclear, ocean thermal, hydroelectricity, solar space heating, solar thermal electric, solar photovoltaic, wind, methanol, oil and coal. About half the risk in hydroelectricity generation is due to material acquisition and construction.