Water: The Resource That Keeps On Giving Hydroelectric power is one of the oldest alternative energy sources that is still as important today as it was in the past. Since biblical times, people around the world have been using flowing rivers to power a simple machine known as a mill. When the water mill turns from the power of the rushing water, it turns kinetic energy into mechanical movement that can complete a job. In the past, that job has been grinding grains, chopping lumbar, and pounding paper (Dursun & Gokcol, 2011). Today, the harnessed power from flowing water is used to provide humans with one of our most important resources: energy (U.S. Department of the Interior, 2015). This paper will explore many aspects of hydroelectric power. Topics that will be discussed include how hydroelectric power works, advantages and disadvantages, how it is currently being used, and plans for using hydroelectric power in the future. There are two different processes for creating electricity from hydroelectric power: conventional and pumped storage. The only difference between the two is size, and what happens to the water after it passes through the turbine. In both cases, when the water builds up behind a dam, the potential energy is increasing. The potential energy changes into mechanical energy when the water is released and rushes down toward the turbine (U.S. Department of the Interior, 2015). Once the turbine blades are hit by the water, they spin electromagnets. The
Water turbines are near the oldest ways to run power without using fossil fuels. The new age had turned these into hydro turbines that generally reside in dams. These machines take similar shape to wind turbines. Hidden in the base of a dam, there is a very large turbine that, in a simple explanation, when water runs through it spins. With the energy used by the spinning turbo it is turned into different power sources that are stored into power cells. Way back in time, this idea was used in power mills. Those old spinning wheels on the side of houses that rotate with water pressure. The first power plant was constructed in 1879 at Niagara Falls, Canada. In the United States the first plant was in 1882 in Wisconsin. These extravagant machines seemed marvelous, but that is no longer the outcome. The current age hydroelectricity dams are currently being shut down for harmful aspects triggered from the giant production. Causing an environmental failure to marine life and habitats all around. The possible outcomes are: changing the oxygen levels in the water that cause organisms to perish; fluctuating water levels that cause different
Moving into the next renewable energy, there is a big advantage that hydroelectric power is that hydropower dams is a huge renewable resource and using water to create electricity has no carbon footprint. As well as there is less pollution from it overall. There are many advantages but there are two distinct disadvantages, one of them being the cost to build an electric power station. The cost
Furthermore, generating hydroelectricity does not produce any kinds of greenhouse gases or smog emissions. Finding the balance between an efficient energy source that does not produce any greenhouse gases are crucial, especially in this day and time, where climate change is prominently becoming a large issue not just in Canada but all over the world. Between 1990 and 2013 Canada’s increase in emissions were caused by fossil fuels. Fortunately, there was a slight reduction from 2005 to 2013 and that was from the public electricity sector, for example, by using hydroelectric stations. If canada increased the percentage in which the hydroelectric stations supplied energy to, Canada could potentially cut down on greenhouse gas emissions and smog.
In the early 1800s the mills used water power. The factories, depending on size, were built on either a large river or stream. Many of the bigger factories also used dams to help provide more power to the water-wheels which in turn gave more energy to the gears and shafts. In the late 1800s power looms were invented. Steam boilers were able to give more energy at a faster rate than water-wheels. Many factories began implementing this technology in order to turn out more profit faster. Then, in 1879, electricity was invented. In 1882 the first commercial hydroelectric power plant was created in Appleton, Wisconsin (Wisconsin Historical Society). By the 1900s electricity was a standard method used in textile factories making them extremely successful and able to produce large quantities of fabric. Also, artificial fabric and dyes were invented allowing textiles to produce stronger materials in a large range of
Hydropower is a renewable resource that is clean, affordable and durable. This resource is clean due to the way you gather the energy from it. hydroelectric and coal-fired power plants produce electricity in a similar way. In both cases a power source is used to turn a propeller piece called a turbine, which then turns a metal shaft in an electric generator (the motor that produces electricity). A coal-fired power plant uses steam to turn the turbine blades; whereas a hydroelectric
In this paper I will be discussing the renewable technology Hydropower and the pros and cons of it. I will be using three separate articles from GREENR focusing on hydropower as a whole and some of the possible downsides of this technology in addition to the very noticeable positive effects from hydropower. The three articles mentioned are "Building BRIC: Carrieann Stocks takes a look at recent developments in hydropower across Brazil, Russia, India and China." (International Water Power & Dam Construction) (Jan. 2015), "Electricity Production from Hydroelectric Sources, Top Ten Countries, 2003/4." (Global Reference on the Environment, Energy, and Natural Resources Online Collection), and "Green streak." (Earth Island Journal) (Jun. 22, 2015). I will be discussing the possible reasoning behind some people not wanting to focus on this possibly very beneficial alternative and try to explain why “If Hydropower is available why don’t we use it?” Keywords: dams, turbine, hydroelectric, renewable resource, nonrenewable resource
Energy related activities are the primary source of human caused greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in Canada, and electrical power generated from fossil fuels is contributing to the rise in those emissions. Hydropower as a source of electricity is a feasible low carbon alternative, as dams and reservoirs have low greenhouse gas and air pollutant emissions compared to fossil fuel energy generation. Canada has harnessed this potential power source as it is the world’s third largest producer of hydropower, contributing 12% globally, behind China and Brazil (Lee, Cheng, & Scheelar, 2011). Hydropower as a source of electricity has a lot of potential in British Columbia (BC), a western Canadian province. British Columbia along with Quebec comprise 2/3rds of the country’s presently developed hydropower capacity and have 50% of undeveloped capacity (Lee, Cheng, & Scheelar, 2011). 90% of BC’s electricity comes from hydropower, so pushing for completely renewable sources of electricity is realistic in this province (Fuamba & Mahdi, 2012). This proposal aims to implement multiple small-scale run-of-river hydropower facility in BC to provide low carbon electricity for the each local region. This proposal will address the strengths and weaknesses of hydropower, the different technologies and facilities available, and economic and geographical factors relevant to British Columbia.
Everyone uses a lot of power for lighting, heating, machines, movements, and so much more. All of that energy has to come from an energy supply. Some energy resources are renewable, while others are non-renewable. Energy has various forms and is a very essential part of our everyday lives.
Everything runs with electricity and it is produced by dams. Hydro-electric dams are very important nowadays as they supply a lot electricity. Society believes that hydro- electric dams are not very useful in the creation of electricity. Hydro-electricity is electricity which is produced by water. Canada is ranked second out of the world in the production of hydro-electricity and the hydro-electric dams produce 60% of Canada's total energy. There are about 933 hydro-electricity dams in Canada. Quebec has the most of these dams, there are 333 hydro-electric dams in Quebec. Hydro-electric dams are not an environmentally responsible form of generating energy. The hydro electric dams will cause droughts and floods, increase global warming, and
Hydroelectric is a form of energy it is a renewable resource. Hydroelectricity is the most important and widely used renewable source of energy. Hydroelectric relies on water, which is clean and renewable energy source. Renewable energy comes from natural resources. Non-Renewable energy source includes coal, oil and natural gas. Water is renewable because water continually recycles itself. To harness energy from flowing water, the water must be controlled; a large reservoir is created, usually by damming a river to create an artificial lake or reservoir. Water is channeled through tunnels in the dam. The energy of water flowing through the dam causes the turbines to turn and make the
The need for electricity is greatly increasing as the population and demand is rising each year. Coil power may be a thing of the past with government restrictions imposed. Now is the time to starting increase the supply sources of alternative energy, renewable energy. This paper will show what a great resource the Hoover Dam is not only in providing energy to multiple states but by offer other great features as well.
I feel that hydroelectric energy would be the most beneficial for the city of Memphis. The reason I feel that hydroelectric energy would be helpful for Memphis because Memphis is located along the Mississippi river. So it would make most sense for us to use hydroelectric energy because there is a huge river in our city. We would not run out of recourses for a very long time, because water is renewable. We would have easy access to the water and we would have enough of it to power the whole city.
One resource that is essential to produce electricity is renewable energy. Providing one’s own energy consists of utilizing solar panels, wind turbines and micro hydroelectricity. Solar panels absorb energy from the Sun to produce solar energy. A great number of people who live off the grid use solar power. Wind turbines generate electrical power from the wind and functions in the reverse manner as a fan does. Micro hydroelectricity is another source of energy, which fascinatingly “uses a source of running water, like a stream, to generate electricity” (Dunn 3). Between all three sources of renewable energy, micro hydroelectricity is the most efficient, reliable and commonly used form.
Hydroelectric power plant is one of the major power plants all over the world in order to create electricity. It is also one of the best renewable energy sources on the planet earth. In ranking, Canada is the third largest country to produce hydroelectricity power. The efficiency of this power source is 90% and this is very impressive as the percentage of efficiency is very high. Hydro power plants generate 24% of the world’s electricity. More than 1 billion people are associated with hydro power plants as they use the power supply from hydro power plants.
“Worldwide, hydropower facilities possess a significant amount of installed electric generating capacity. IEA statistics indicate that at the end of 2001 there was in excess of 450,000 MW of installed capacity within IEA member countries, with about half in Europe and half in North America. In addition to conventional hydropower, there is more than 80,000 MW of installed pumped-hydro capacity in IEA countries. In contrast, utility-scale wind power is relatively new in the electric market, but increasing rapidly” (Integration of Wind and Hydropower Systems)