Hydroelectric power water use

Hydroelectric power must be one of the oldest methods of producing power.

No doubt, Jack the Caveman stuck some sturdy leaves on a pole and put it
in a moving stream. The water would spin the pole that crushed grain to
make their delicious, low-fat prehistoric bran muffins. People have used
moving water to help them in their work throughout history, and modern
people make great use of moving water to produce electricity.
Hydroelectric power for the Nation

Alt
hough most energy in the United States is produced by fossil-fuel and
nuclear power plants, hydroelectricity is still important to the Nation,
accounting for about 7% of total energy production. Nowadays, huge power
generators are placed inside dams. Water flowing through the dams spin
turbine blades (made out of metal instead of leaves) which are connected to
generators. Power is produced and is sent to homes and businesses.
World distribution of hydropower

Hydropower is the most important and widely-used renewable source

of energy.

Hydropower represents about 16% (International Energy Agency) of

total electricity production.

China is the largest producer of hydroelectricity, followed by Canada,

Brazil, and the United States (Source: Energy Information
Administration).

Approximately two-thirds of the economically feasible potential

remains to be developed. Untapped hydro resources are still abundant
in Latin America, Central Africa, India and China.

Producing electricity using hydroelectric power has some advantages over

other power-producing methods. Let's do a quick comparison:
Advantages to hydroelectric power:

Fuel is not burned so there is minimal pollution

Water to run the power plant is provided free by nature

Hydropower plays a major role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions

Relatively low operations and maintenance costs

The technology is reliable and proven over time

It's renewable - rainfall renews the water in the reservoir, so the fuel is
almost always there

Read an expanded list of advantages of hydroelectric power from the Top

World Conference on Sustainable Development conference, Johannesburg,
South Africa (2002)
Disadvantages to power plants that use coal, oil, and gas fuel:

They use up valuable and limited natural resources

They can produce a lot of pollution

Companies have to dig up the Earth or drill wells to get the coal, oil,
and gas

For nuclear power plants there are waste-disposal problems

Hydroelectric power is not perfect, though, and does have some

disadvantages:

High investment costs

Hydrology dependent (precipitation)

In some cases, inundation of land and wildlife habitat

In some cases, loss or modification of fish habitat

Fish entrainment or passage restriction

In some cases, changes in reservoir and stream water quality

In some cases, displacement of local populations

Hydropower and the Environment

Hydropower is nonpolluting, but does have environmental impacts

Hydropower does not pollute the water or the air. However, hydropower
facilities can have large environmental impacts by changing the environment
and affecting land use, homes, and natural habitats in the dam area.
Most hydroelectric power plants have a dam and a reservoir. These
structures may obstruct fish migration and affect their populations.
Operating a hydroelectric power plant may also change the water
temperature and the river's flow. These changes may harm native plants and
animals in the river and on land. Reservoirs may cover people's homes,
important natural areas, agricultural land, and archaeological sites. So
building dams can require relocating people. Methane, a strong greenhouse
gas, may also form in some reservoirs and be emitted to the atmosphere.
(EPA Energy Kids)
Reservoir construction is "drying up" in the United States

Gosh, hydroelectric power sounds great -- so why don't we use it to produce

all of our power? Mainly because you need lots of water and a lot of land
where you can build a dam and reservoir, which all takes a LOT of money,
time, and construction. In fact, most of the good spots to locate hydro plants
have already been taken. In the early part of the century hydroelectric
plants supplied a bit less than one-half of the nation's power, but the number
is down to about 10 percent today. The trend for the future will probably be
to build small-scale hydro plants that can generate electricity for a single
community.
As this chart shows, the construction of surface reservoirs has slowed
considerably in recent years. In the middle of the 20th Century, when
urbanization was occuring at a rapid rate, many reservoirs were constructed
to serve peoples' rising demand for water and power. Since about 1980, the
rate of reservoir construction has slowed considerably.
Typical hydroelectric powerplant

Hydroelectric energy is produced by the force of falling water. The capacity

to produce this energy is dependent on both the available flow and the
height from which it falls. Building up behind a high dam, water accumulates
potential energy. This is transformed into mechanical energy when the water
rushes down the sluice and strikes the rotary blades of turbine. The turbine's
rotation spins electromagnets which generate current in stationary coils of
wire. Finally, the current is put through a transformer where the voltage is
increased for long distance transmission over power
lines. (Source: Environment Canada)

Hydroelectric-power production in the United States and the world

As this chart shows, in the United States, most states make some use of
hydroelectric power, although, as you can expect, states with low
topographical relief, such as Florida and Kansas, produce very little
hydroelectric power. But some states, such as Idaho, Washington, and

Oregon use hydroelectricity as their main power source. in 1995, all of

Idaho's power came from hydroelectric plants.
The second chart shows hydroelectric power generation in 2012 for the
leading hydroelectric-generating countries in the world. China has developed
large hydroelectric facilities in the last decade and now lead the world in
hydroelectricity usage. But, from north to south and from east to west,
countries all over the world make use of hydroelectricitythe main
ingredients are a large river and a drop in elevation (along with money, of
course).

Source: Energy Information Administration (EIA):

http://www.eia.gov/cfapps/ipdbproject/IEDIndex3.cfm

Hydroelectric power: How it works

So just how do we get electricity from water? Actually, hydroelectric and

coal-fired power plants produce electricity in a similar way. In both cases a
power source is used to turn a propeller-like piece called a turbine, which
then turns a metal shaft in an electric generator, which is the motor that
produces electricity. A coal-fired power plant uses steam to turn the turbine
blades; whereas a hydroelectric plant uses falling water to turn the turbine.
The results are the same.
Take a look at this diagram (courtesy of the Tennessee Valley Authority) of a
hydroelectric power plant to see the details:

The theory is to build a dam on a large river that has a large drop in
elevation (there are not many hydroelectric plants in Kansas or Florida). The
dam stores lots of water behind it in the reservoir. Near the bottom of the
dam wall there is the water intake. Gravity causes it to fall through the
penstock inside the dam. At the end of the penstock there is a turbine
propeller, which is turned by the moving water. The shaft from the turbine
goes up into the generator, which produces the power. Power lines are
connected to the generator that carry electricity to your home and mine. The
water continues past the propeller through the tailrace into the river past the
dam. By the way, it is not a good idea to be playing in the water right below
a dam when water is released!
This diagram of a hydroelectric generator is courtesy of U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers.
As to how this generator works, the Corps of Engineers explains it this way:
"A hydraulic turbine converts the energy of flowing water into mechanical
energy. A hydroelectric generator converts this mechanical energy into
electricity. The operation of a generator is based on the principles discovered
by Faraday. He found that when a magnet is moved past a conductor, it
causes electricity to flow. In a large generator, electromagnets are made by
circulating direct current through loops of wire wound around stacks of

magnetic steel laminations. These are called field poles, and are mounted on
the perimeter of the rotor. The rotor is attached to the turbine shaft, and
rotates at a fixed speed. When the rotor turns, it causes the field poles (the
electromagnets) to move past the conductors mounted in the stator. This, in
turn, causes electricity to flow and a voltage to develop at the generator
output terminals."
Pumped storage: Reusing water for peak electricity demand

Demand for
electricity is not "flat" and constant. Demand goes up and down during the
day, and overnight there is less need for electricity in homes, businesses,
and other facilities. For example, here in Atlanta, Georgia at 5:00 PM on a
hot August weekend day, you can bet there is a huge demand for electricity
to run millions of air conditioners! But, 12 hours later at 5:00 AM .... not so
much. Hydroelectric plants are more efficient at providing for peak power
demands during short periods than are fossil-fuel and nuclear power plants,
and one way of doing that is by using "pumped storage", which reuses the
same water more than once.
Pumped storage is a method of keeping water in reserve for peak period
power demands by pumping water that has already flowed through the
turbines back up a storage pool above the powerplant at a time when
customer demand for energy is low, such as during the middle of the night.
The water is then allowed to flow back through the turbine-generators at
times when demand is high and a heavy load is placed on the system.
The reservoir acts much like a battery, storing power in the form of water
when demands are low and producing maximum power during daily and
seasonal peak periods. An advantage of pumped storage is that hydroelectric
generating units are able to start up quickly and make rapid adjustments in
output. They operate efficiently when used for one hour or several hours.

Because pumped storage reservoirs are relatively small, construction costs

are generally low compared with conventional hydropower facilities.

Advantages of Hydroelectric Power Production and Usage

The following information references information presented by Itaipu
Binacional. Content on this page is taken directly from their Web site.
Representatives of more than 170 countries reached consensus at the Top
World Conference on Sustainable Development, in Johannesburg (2002), and
at the 3rd World Forum on Water, in Kyoto (2003): all hydroelectric
generation is renewable and merits international support. Read, below, the
ten reasons leading them to this conclusion.
1. Hydroelectricity is a renewable energy source.

Hydroelectricity uses the energy of running water, without reducing its

quantity, to produce electricity. Therefore, all hydroelectric developments, of
small or large size, whether run of the river or of accumulated storage, fit
the concept of renewable energy.
2. Hydroelectricity makes it feasible to utilize other renewable sources.

Hydroelectric power plants with accumulation reservoirs offer incomparable

operational flexibility, since they can immediately respond to fluctuations in
the demand for electricity. The flexibility and storage capacity of
hydroelectric power plants make them more efficient and economical in
supporting the use of intermittent sources of renewable energy, such as
solar energy or Aeolian energy.
3. Hydroelectricity promotes guaranteed energy and price stability.

River water is a domestic resource which, contrary to fuel or natural gas, is

not subject to market fluctuations. In addition to this, it is the only large
renewable source of electricity and its cost-benefit ratio, efficiency, flexibility
and reliability assist in optimizing the use of thermal power plants.
4. Hydroelectricity contributes to the storage of drinking water.

Hydroelectric power plant reservoirs collect rainwater, which can then be

used for consumption or for irrigation. In storing water, they protect the
water tables against depletion and reduce our vulnerability to floods and
droughts.

5. Hydroelectricity increases the stability and reliability of electricity

systems.

The operation of electricity systems depends on rapid and flexible generation

sources to meet peak demands, maintain the system voltage levels, and
quickly re-establish supply after a blackout. Energy generated by
hydroelectric installations can be injected into the electricity system faster
than that of any other energy source. The capacity of hydroelectric systems
to reach maximum production from zero in a rapid and foreseeable manner
makes them exceptionally appropriate for addressing alterations in the
consumption and providing ancillary services to the electricity system, thus
maintaining the balance between the electricity supply and demand.
6. Hydroelectricity helps fight climate changes.

The hydroelectric life cycle produces very small amounts of greenhouse

gases (GHG). In emitting less GHG than power plants driven by gas, coal or
oil, hydroelectricity can help retard global warming. Although only 33% of
the available hydroelectric potential has been developed, today
hydroelectricity prevents the emission of GHG corresponding to the burning
of 4.4 million barrels of petroleum per day worldwide.
7. Hydroelectricity improves the air we breathe.

Hydroelectric power plants don't release pollutants into the air. They very
frequently substitute the generation from fossil fuels, thus reducing acid rain
and smog. In addition to this, hydroelectric developments don't generate
toxic by-products.
8. Hydroelectricity offers a significant contribution to development.

Hydroelectric installations bring electricity, highways, industry and commerce

to communities, thus developing the economy, expanding access to health
and education, and improving the quality of life. Hydroelectricity is a
technology that has been known and proven for more than a century. Its
impacts are well understood and manageable through measures for
mitigating and compensating the damages. It offers a vast potential and is
available where development is most necessary.
9. Hydroelectricity means clean and cheap energy for today and for
tomorrow.

With an average lifetime of 50 to 100 years, hydroelectric developments are

long-term investments that can benefit various generations. They can be

easily upgraded to incorporate more recent technologies and have very low
operating and maintenance costs.
10. Hydroelectricity is a fundamental instrument for sustainable
development.

Hydroelectric enterprises that are developed and operated in a manner that

is economically viable, environmentally sensible and socially responsible
represent the best concept of sustainable development. That means,
"development that today addresses people's needs without compromising
the capacity of future generations for addressing their own needs" (World
Commission on the Environment and Development, 1987).
Sources and more information

Itaipu Binacional

 Hydel energy

Energy from water sources

Mini or Micro Hydro power

On an average, the 60
million sq km of
The energy in the flowing water can be used to produce electricity.
tropical seas absorb
Waves result from the interaction of the wind with the surface of the
solar radiation equal
sea and represent a transfer of energy from the wind to the sea.
to the heat content of
Energy can be extracted from tides by creating a reservoir or basin
245 billion
behind a barrage and then passing tidal waters through turbines in the
barrels of oil.
barrage to generate electricity.
Hydro power is one of the best, cheapest, and cleanest source of
energy, although, with big dams, there are many environmental and social problems as has been
seen in the case of the Tehri and the Narmada Projects. Small dams are, however, free from
these problems. This is in fact one of the earliest known renewable
energy sources, in the country (since the beginning of the 20 th century).

In fact, for the last few hundred years, people living in the hills of the
Himalayas have been using water mills, or chakki, to grind wheat. The
130 KW small hydropower plant in Darjeeling set up in 1897, was the
first in India. Besides being free from the problem of pollution, such
plants are also free from issues and controversies that are associated
with the bigger projects, namely affecting the lives of thousands of
people living along the banks of the rivers, destruction of large areas
under forest, and seismological threats.

New environmental laws affected by the danger of global warming have made energy from small
hydropower plants more relevant. These small hydropower plants can serve the energy needs of
remote rural areas independently. The real challenge in a remote area lies in successful
marketing of the energy and recovering the dues. Local industries should be encouraged to use
this electricity for sustainable development.

It is a technology with enormous potential, which could exploit the water resources to supply
energy to remote rural areas with little access to conventional energy sources. It also eliminates
most of the negative environmental effects associated with large hydro projects.

Energy from the sea - Ocean thermal, tidal and wave energy
Large amounts of solar energy is stored in the oceans and seas. On an average, the 60 million
square kilometre of the tropical seas absorb solar radiation equivalent to the heat content of 245
billion barrels of oil. Scientists feel that if this energy can be tapped a large source of energy will
be available to the tropical countries and to other countries as well. The process of harnessing
this energy is called OTEC (ocean thermal energy conversion). It uses the temperature
differences between the surface of the ocean and the depths of about
1000m to operate a heat engine, which produces electric power.

Energy is also obtained from waves and

tides. The first wave energy, project with a
capacity of 150MW, has been set up at
Vizhinjam near Trivandrum. A major tidal
wave power project costing of Rs.5000
crores, is proposed to be set up in the
Hanthal Creek in the Gulf of Kutch in
Gujarat.

In some countries such as Japan small

scale power generators run by energy from waves or the ocean, have
been used as power sources for channel marking buoys.

Form of
Energy:Potential/Kinetic
energy
This energy is being
used for: Power
generation
Some of the gadgets
and other
devices: Turbine
generators