Hydropower Generation

Study Notes

Hydropower is the natural force created by water as it moves from areas of high elevation to areas of low elevation.
Water produces massive amounts of kinetic energy as it flows due to the force of gravity pulling it down.

Hydropower has been used historically to power mills that milled wheat into flour, and to power hammers that break and process ore.
In the late 1700s and 1800s, the invention and use of the turbine led to the production of electricity using hydropower.

Hydroelectric power is the production of electricity using hydropower.
The U.S. uses hydroelectric power to produce 7.3% of its total generated electricity and 37% of its total clean energy produced.
Hydroelectric power plants are built on rivers, and some are built with dams that create artificial bodies of stored water known as reservoirs.

To produce electricity using water, there must be a flow of water and a turbine connected to an electrical generator.
The water cycle is the pattern of water being evaporated, condensing into clouds, and falling back to Earth, which provides the flow of water for hydroelectric power.
The flow of water usually comes from a river, and the hydropower plant is built right on the waterfront.
The water flows through holes in the dam, or penstock, which then turns a turbine and powers a generator.

The turbine turns a shaft connected to magnetic steel filaments that spin when the turbine turns.
The spinning magnets cause electrons to jump from the magnet to the copper wire, producing electricity.
The electricity is piped to the electrical grid, which our homes and buildings are connected to.

Pros of hydropower include:
- It is a renewable resource because water is recycled constantly in the water cycle.
- It is a clean energy resource because it does not use fossil fuels that pollute the atmosphere.
- It is flexible, meaning electricity can be produced immediately once the hydropower facility is built.
- It is cost-effective, with construction requirements that are cheap and structures that are durable.
- It provides a local power source, with each state able to generate their own electricity.
Cons of hydropower include:
- The damming of waterways can have drastically negative impacts on local ecosystems.
- Creating reservoirs can change the temperature of the water, which can disrupt ecosystems.
- The creation of a reservoir can sometimes include practices that contribute to greenhouse gas emissions.
- Damming can disrupt the natural flow of the river, affecting many organisms that rely on the natural flow of water.