If Romans, and millers of the 16th and 17th centuries, could move water from source to where it was needed using stone and concrete, a bunch of geeks in the 21st century can. Canals and aqueducts would be the best way to move large amounts of water to where it is needed (ie water wheels, hydro stations) and require the least amount of exotic material (pipes etc.) You'd still use pipes to bridge gullies. The canal would only need to be 1m wide x 1m deep at most, but the volume of water it would move is huge.
Water wheels, water turbines, electric motors, internal combustion engines, steam engines and a horse chained to a windlass and walking in circles ALL provide rotational energy.
Geektopia idea
If Romans, and millers of the 16th and 17th centuries, could move water from source to where it was needed using stone and concrete, a bunch of geeks in the 21st century can. Canals and aqueducts would be the best way to move large amounts of water to where it is needed (ie water wheels, hydro stations) and require the least amount of exotic material (pipes etc.) You'd still use pipes to bridge gullies. The canal would only need to be 1m wide x 1m deep at most, but the volume of water it would move is huge.
Water wheels, water turbines, electric motors, internal combustion engines, steam engines and a horse chained to a windlass and walking in circles ALL provide rotational energy.