There is also a huge environmental cost to dams. The head water causes a huge amount of land to be flooded. This changes the local ecology more quickly then it can adapt. Even the stream life can't adapt to the lake environment. It will have to be stocked to develop an eco system.
Wend power takes decades to produce a positive ROI and can only be used in limited regions. I would think that the DR would be able to use it but you would have to balance the investment against projects like education. As I said in another post. There is nothing more damaging to the ecology then poverty.
There is no free power. I don't like it eater but fossil fuel is currently the cheapest power around. It's also highly concentrated can be easily stored and is portable. It will be with us for a while.
Bruce
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