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A Description of Hydroelectric Power

Coal, gas and oil are non-renewable energy resources so electricity plants that process them use up the Earth's natural resources without any hope for replenishing them. Such processing releases high amounts of pollution while leaving behind waste that cannot always be disposed of cleanly. As an alternative, the Earth has several sources of renewable energy, including water and the resulting hydroelectric power.

  1. Definition

    • According to the U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Reclamation, hydroelectricity (hydropower) is a renewable resource that provides 96 percent of renewable energy in the U.S. Water, dammed up and/or falling from height, flows through turbines and generators that produce electricity in hydroelectric power plants.

    Transmission

    • Once hydroelectric power plants produce electricity, they deliver it to residential, industrial and commercial buildings where it powers our electrical appliances. Before transmission, electricity converts into alternating current and voltage. Voltage is the force that sends an electric current through power lines and wires. Transformers decrease voltage so that electricity can be broken into smaller pieces and go to different neighborhoods. Other power plants use the same transmission routes as those that process hydropower.

    Advantages

    • As a renewable resource, there is little to no risk of running out. When water storage reservoirs run out of water, rainfall naturally replenishes the supply, providing a reliable and constant source of energy. Water costs nothing because it is provided by the natural world. The technology is similarly reliable, and processing plants are inexpensive to operate and maintain. Unlike fossil fuels, hydropower does not burn any fuel, emitting little pollution and greenhouse gases.

    Disadvantages

    • Although hydropower offers many advantages, it does involve high startup costs. It is also dependent on hydrology, which is difficult to control. In some circumstances, hydropower involves invading, damaging and possibly displacing vegetation, people, fish and animals. Dams can affect water quality and the flow of nearby rivers and streams, which in turn affects the ecosystems using those water bodies for habitat. Some reservoirs also emit methane gas into the atmosphere, contributing to the greenhouse effect.

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