Hydroelectric+Power

=History of Hydroelectric Power= Hydroelectric power is the generation of energy using Hydropower. The use of Hydroelectric Power has been around since ancient Greece (2000 years ago), when farmers used hydro-power to turn water wheels to grind wheat into flower. Since then, hydroelectric power has been expanded upon and revolutionized to fit todays energy and industrial needs.
 * HYDROELECTRIC POWER Sam Pratt **

In the 1700's, hydroelectric power was used broadly for the milling of lumber and grain as well as for pumping irrigation water for farms. However, in the mid to late 1800s, hydroelectric power was being utilized for its ability to create viable amounts of electricity. In the 1880s, companies such as the Grand Rapids Electric Light and Power Company used hydro-power to light up lamps in factories. Similarly, at Niagra Falls, hydroelectric energy produced from the waterfall's rapids was used to power street lamps in the nearby city. By 1886, there were about 45 water-powered electric power plans in the U.S. and Canada. Just three years later, as the use of hydroelectric power spread west to states such as California and Washington, that number increased to around 200 water-powered electric power plants. In 1907, it was calculated that around 15% of electric generating capacity in the United States was by hydropower. This number nearly trippled to 40% by 1940, and by this time, the federal government had established numerous agencies to oversee the hydroelectric power industry in the United States such as the Bureau of Reclamation and the Federal Water Power Act. Today, around 7% of electricity produced in the United States comes from hydro-power while the rest comes from other energy sources. =How Hydroelectric Power Works= Hydroelectric power is produced in very much the same way as coal generated power is. However, instead of producing steam to generate power, hydroelectric power uses the forces of water and gravity. Unlike when hydroelectric power was first untilized with a water wheel and gears, today's hydroelectric power is produced with the help of dams built on a river. On one side of the dam is a reservoir or lake that holds the dam's supply of usable water for producing energy. On this same side of the dam, below the water, is an intake valve, or a series of intake valves, that pushes water through a penstock (downward sloaping tunnel) towards the dam's main turbine. This turbine, which looks like a large propeller from a ship, is spun by the force of the water falling through the penstock. Above the turbine in a part of the dam called the Power House is an electric generator. This generator is attatched to the turbine, and as the turbine spins, the generator is able to produce electrical energy that is transported through power lines into a transformer for its various uses. The water that was used to spin the turbine is cycled through a smaller penstock into an outflow river that carries the water downstream from the dam (if the water level behind the dam is low, this already used water can be pumped back through the penstock and reused in another energy producing cycle). =How Hydroelectric Power/Energy is Used= The energy produced as a result of hydroelectric production is used in a large variety of ways, by various people, and for various functions. Around 2000 years ago in ancient Greece, hydroelectric power was used to grind wheet into flower to make bread. In the early 1800's, hydroelectric power was used to power machines such as the timber-cutting saw in Europe and American factories. Today, however, the best known use for hydroelectric power is the production of electricity for various uses. This electricity/energy is used to power lights, generators, and houses. The energy can be used to power factories and their machines, power houshold appliences and heat homes, and also power buisnesses that otherwise would have had to find other ways of getting their energy.

Because Hydroelectricity is produced using dams, the amount of power that is produced can be controled as damand increases or decreases. For instance, during a hot summer day, the demand for electricity to power millions of air conditioners might result in a dam having to amp up the amount of hydroelectric electricity being produced. However, at night, even after a hot summer day, the amount of electricity being used drops significently as the temperature cools down, allowing the dam to reduce the amount of water flow going through the turbine, thus reducing the output of energy. =The Effects of Hydroelectric Power on People and the Environment= Hydroelectric power is one of the most efficient, clean, and reusable sources of energy on the planet. No fossile fuels are required to produce the electricity made by hydroelectric power, and there are little to no carbon emmissions associated with the production of electricity by hydroelectric power. In relation to the environment, there are pros and cons. For instance, hydroelectric power puts out miniscule amounts of carbon emmissions, but the construction of the hydroelectric facility can disrups the flow of a river and negatively effect the environment in and around a river (flooding, trash, animal habitats, etc...). As far as the effect of hydroelectric power on people, most inhabitants living close to the dam recieve clean, renewable energy for their homes and appliences. Electricity from hydroelectric power is not as expensive as electricity produced from natural gas or fossile fuels. However, the creation of a hydroelectric facility can force people to have to relocate due to flooding or danger depending on the size and scale of the facility. However, overall, hydroelectric power in comparison to other electricity producing fuels is both good for the environment and beneficial to the nearby population.

=Pros and Cons of Hydroelectric Power=

Pros:
electric power is not effected by the cost of hightened or decreased gas prices. are only about 50% efficient.
 * Hydroelectric power eliminates the need for fuels such as natural gas and oil, eliminating carbon emmissions. Also hydro-[[image:hydro.jpg width="387" height="276" align="right"]]
 * Hydroelectric power facilities are long lasting and durable. Some facilities even 50 to 100 years old around the world.
 * The opperation and supervision (number of workers on sight) cost is extremely low. Low cost of labor.
 * Hydroelectric power can respond quickly to fluctuations in demand for electricity.
 * Modern hydro turbines can convert up to 90% of the available energy into electricity where as the best fossile fuel plants
 * Hydroelectric power provides more than 97% of all energy generated by renewable sources worldwide.
 * The use of hydroelectric power prevents the burning of 22 billion gallons of oil or 120 million tons of coal each year around the world.

Cons:

 * Because the best location for hydroelectric facilities (dams) are in hilly or mountinous areas, the area below the dam is at risk for flooding or environmental damage if there is a dam failure.
 * Because dams used to produce hydroelectric power back up the river or stream on which they are constricted, this water floods areas behind the dam, forcing people to possibly relocate themselves and their families and give up their homes and way of life to make way for the construction of the dam.
 * The construction of a hydroelectric dam can severely alter a river's functions such that in-stream ecosystems are either devastatingly altered or destroyed. This effect on the stream's ecosystem, as well as its biodiversity, can effect the ecosystem of various animals and plants far beyond the area where the dam is built.
 * Silt, heavy metals, and pollutants can accumulate behind a dam, poluting the water, and causing a mess that can shut down a hydroelectric power facility or dam and leave a huge mess for future generations to clean up and deal with.

=Case Study= In the 1930's, Hoover Dam was constructed to prevent flooding and provide much needed irrigation and hydroelectric power to the arid regions surrounding the location of the dam. Named after Former president Herbert Hoover for his involvment in making the constriction of the dam a success, the dam at the time was one of the largest structures in the world and one of the worlds largest producers of hydroelectric power. Around 8 decades later, Hoover Dam is one of the most popular dams in the United States. Today is provides hydroelectric power and other neccessities such as irrigation and flood prevention to the arid regions of Arizona and California. Hoover Dam is a prime example of the benefits and successes of hydroelectric power.

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