Hydroelectric

Hydroelectric Power James and Julia

Jacques & Julia

=toc Generating Methods= There are four basic ways to generate hydroelectric power. Conventional, pump storage run of the river, and underground. Conventional and pump rely on gravity to funnel water down a chute and through a turbine. The rotation of the turbine generates electricity. Underground is the same system, only the generating stations are beneath the water source, rather than located under something like a dam. Run of the river is a system where free flowing water turns a turbine or screw, which produces electricity.



=Sizes and Capacities= Hydroelectric power is categorized based upon how much power is produced in a single hour of operation on average. Most plants fit into one of three categories. Large, small, or pico. Large facilities produce in excess of 100 Megawatts. These include dams like the Hoover Dam, or the Three Gorges Dam in China. Small facilities are used to power small towns or industrial sites, and produce around 10 Megawatts. Pico facilites are very small and are commonly used in third world counties. Each pico system produces just enough power for a few lightbulbs or a television. These kinds of systems are the most common method of power generation in rural areas and provide the poor with a free source of electricity. =Advantages and Disadvantages= Advantages: Hydroelectric power's most important advantage is that it relies on no outside source of power to work. Water simply flows from a higher elevation to a lower elevation, and in the process produces electricity. As a result it is completely immune to changing fossil fuel costs. The water is also almost always available, providing power at all times even during peak output hours. Hydroelectric power is also extremely environmentally friendly in that power production produces no forms of greenhouse gases.

Disadvantages: Unfortunately hydroelectric power is not available everywhere. It is dependent on geography to work, although some locations can be modified to work. Building a dam can also cause environmental damage to local ecosystems. The biggest risk of hydroelectric power is dam failure. Damage to the structure of dams can release the huge volumes of potential energy in a cataclysmic way. A dam failure in china killed 26,000 people, mostly due to extreme flash flooding.

=World Hydroelectric Capacity= The great thing about hydroelectric power is that its only real requirement to work is water. Dams or run of the river system can harness the hydroelectric power of water without much modification. Luckily water is the most abundant element on this planet. Covering 70% of our surface water is readily available for hydroelectric power. Nearly 80% of our population lives within 100 miles of water. In an age where power consumption is reaching new highs the development of renewable sources of power needs to take a priority. Hydroelectric power is a easy to tap source of energy that is centrally located to human populations. ==

=Video Link=

Run of the River Style Generator

=Works Citied=

1) Perlman, Howard. "Hydroelectric Power Water Use." //Hydroelectric Power and Water. Basic Information about Hydroelectricity, USGS Water Science for Schools.// United States Geological Survey, 9 Mar. 2012. Web. 10 Apr. 2012. . 2) "Battery and Energy Technologies." //Hydroelectric Power Generation//. Woodbank Communications Ltd. Web. 10 Apr. 2012. . 4) Darling, David. "Hydroelectric Power." //The Worlds of David Darling//. Web. 10 Apr. 2012. . 5) "Hydroelectric Energy Advantages and Disadvantages | Green World Investor." //Green World Investor//. 4 Apr. 2011. Web. 10 Apr. 2012. .