This is a great story about a project to remove methane that is dissolved in reservoirs created by hydro-electric dams -
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/6638705.stmOrganic matter sinks to the bottom of the lake and is broken down by microbes. The process is anaerobic, and one of the by-products is methane gas. Methane is a major greenhouse gas and can also be burnt as a relatively clean fuel, but in deep lakes it remains dissolved in the water due to the pressure.
After it pa**** through the turbine to make electricity, the pressure is reduced and the methane is released, just like when you open a can of soda. Then the methane escapes into the atmosphere, helping to keep the polar bears warm.
Brazil is now pioneering systems to capture the methane and use it to power gas turbines and provide more energy from the same dam. This increases the efficiency, lowers the cost of energy, reduces environmental damage, and is an all-round good thing. (Especially if you're a polar bear.)
After learning about this I read more into the subject and came up with a refinement of my own, as described in
my act3 post.
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