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~ Hydropower is nothing new to the world of energy.  Utilizing the natural energy of water has been around since the Ancient Greeks used it for tasks such as farming.  According to Energy.gov, it is one of the oldest energy sources on the planet.
~ According to Energy.gov, Niagara Falls was the United States' first "hydroelectric generating facility" plant. It was created in 1881 by Charles Brush.
~ Gravity plays a major role in generating energy through hydropower.  Gravity pulls water down towards sea level, and this movement of the water helps to move turbines and power generators.
~ The following countries use hydropower as their main power source for producing electricity: Brazil, Norway, Canada, New Zealand, Paraguay, Venezuela, and Switzerland.
~ Tidal power is considered to be hydropower as well. It uses the currents and movement of waves and tides to generate energy.

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~ The Saxapahaw Dam and Plant utilizes the Haw River for hydropower in Alamance County.

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~ Alamance County has recently put in place a new solar farm that will assist in providing power to Randolph County.

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Work has begun on Alamance County's newest solar farm, which will provide power to residents in neighboring Randolph County.

About 125 people from companies such Entropy Solar Integrators and Pure Power Solar, are working on the $12 million project at the intersection of Snow Camp and Clark roads.

Cypress Creek Renewables of Santa Monica, Calif., is building the solar farm, with Entropy being the primary contractor, said Jeff McKay, a spokesman for Cypress Creek Renewables.

The 8.5-megawatt solar facility will consist of 28,000 panels attached to a fixed-tilt racking system, which will be connected to a grid operated by Randolph Electric Membership Corp.

It will provide enough electricity to power more than 1,000 homes, McKay said.

Construction should be complete by the end of January.

"We felt this site was a great fit for a solar farm based on the ease of construction, the proximity to a substation and the minimal disruptions of wetlands," McKay said.

Cypress Creek Renewables has more than 30 solar farms in North Carolina, plus 100 more in various stages of development.

This will be at least the third working solar farm in the area..

Earlier this year, a solar farm in Elon began providing power to Duke Energy, and in May, the Mebane City Council agreed to allow Ecoplexus Inc., another California solar company, to build a solar farm on Mattress Factory Road in Orange County.

Ecoplexus was not successful in persuading the Elon Board of Alderman to rezone land on North Manning Drive to allow a solar farm. The board voted against the request, saying the area is correctly zoned for residential use, which would allow the town to grow.

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Powering up: Area's third solar farm now under construction

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Work has begun on Alamance County's newest solar farm, which will provide power to residents in neighboring Randolph County. About 125 people from companies such Entropy Solar Integrators and Pure Power Solar, are working on the $12 million project at the intersection of Snow Camp and Clark roads.