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Harnessing Hydropower: Electricity from Moving Water

Explore the efficient and renewable source of hydropower, harnessing the energy of flowing water to produce electricity. Learn about the construction of dams, hydroelectric generators, advantages, disadvantages, and environmental impacts. Discover how hydropower helps reduce pollution and contributes to renewable energy goals.

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Harnessing Hydropower: Electricity from Moving Water

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  1. Hydropower: Electricity From Moving Water By: Lauren Murphy and Candice Burgan http://www.lasvegastourism.com/tours/hoover_dam.gif

  2. Main goal • To provide an adequate and efficient natural source of energy without the burning of fossil fuels. • To harness the energy of moving water • To provide a cheap source of energy http://www.danville-va.gov/upload/images/Utilities/Pinnacles%20Hydro.JPG

  3. Layout of a Dam http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/hyhowworks.html

  4. How it works • Build a dam on a large river that has a large drop in elevation • 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

  5. How it works contd. • The shaft from the turbine goes up into the generator, which produces the power • Power lines are connected to the generator that carry electricity • The water continues past the propeller through the tailrace into the river past the dam

  6. Hydroelectric generator A hydraulic turbine converts the energy of flowing water into mechanical energy. A hydroelectric generator converts this mechanical energy into electricity. http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/hyhowworks.html

  7. Hydroelectric Power: 9.8% http://www.eia.doe.gov/cneaf/electricity/epa/epa_sum.html

  8. Top Generating Countries http://www.eia.doe.gov/cneaf/electricity/epa/epa_sum.html

  9. Expense of Power Production http://www.eia.doe.gov/cneaf/electricity/epa/epa_sum.html

  10. Purpose of Dams http://www.eia.doe.gov/cneaf/electricity/epa/epa_sum.html

  11. Provides 97.9% of all Electricity by Renewable Resources http://www.eia.doe.gov/cneaf/electricity/epa/epa_sum.html

  12. Advantages •  - Fuel is not burned so there is minimal pollution -Water to run the power plant is provided free by • nature -  It's renewable - rainfall renews the water in the reservoir, so the fuel is almost always there • No waste products • Moderate to high net energy • High efficiency (80%) • Low cost electricity • Long life span • Provides flood control below dam • Provides year-round water for irrigation and crop land • Useful for fishing and recreation due to reservoir

  13. Disadvantages/Environmental problems • High construction costs • High environmental impacts • High CO2 emissions from biomass decay in shallow reservoirs • Floods natural areas • Converts land habitat to lake habitat • Danger of collapse • Uproots people • Decreases fish harvest below dam • Decreases flow of natural fertilizer to land below dam • Large water loss due to evaporation

  14. Collapsing of dams • Many dams aren’t maintained properly • Lack of concern about risk and problems • This causes mass-flooding and even loss of life • Internal erosion http://www.hatchenergy.com/Innovations/Spring2006/guest_dam.html

  15. Problems with hydropower • Takes up a lot of space • Costs are extremely high • Good land areas for construction have already been taken • Consumes a lot of time for planning and construction • The life expectancy of dams are only around 50 years • Even at this age these dams are considered to be at a high risk for failing

  16. Rate of construction http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/wuhy.html

  17. Make a difference • Hydroelectricity eliminates the flue gas emissions from fossil fuels, including pollutants such as sulfur dioxide, nitric oxide, carbon monoxide, dust, and mercury in the coal. • Doesn’t contribute to global warming! http://www.solcomhouse.com/Global_Warming.gif

  18. Technological obstacles • Building strong and efficient dams to withstand the passage of time • Find efficient ways to minimize environmental impacts http://www.srh.noaa.gov/tlh/cpm/woodruff_dam_pic.jpg

  19. Political/Economic obstacles • High production/building costs • Creating total revenue to build • Value tradeoffs • Market prices • Water use allocations cause controversy • Mass displacement of people • Large investments in energy sources (large scale dams)

  20. Three Gorges Dam • Largest dam in the world http://www.theage.com.au/ffximage/2006/06/23/knDAM_wideweb__470x309,0.jpg

  21. Bibliography • http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/hyhowworks.html • http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/wuhy.html • http://www.eia.doe.gov/cneaf/electricity/epa/epa_sum.html • http://www.lasvegastourism.com/tours/hoover_dam.gif • http://oilbeseeingyou.blogspot.com/2007/07/post-peak-dam-maintenance-or-lack.html • http://www.theage.com.au/ffximage/2006/06/23/knDAM_wideweb__470x309,0.jpg • http://www.srh.noaa.gov/tlh/cpm/woodruff_dam_pic.jpg • http://www.hatchenergy.com/Innovations/Spring2006/guest_dam.html • http://www.danville-va.gov/upload/images/Utilities/Pinnacles%20Hydro.JPG

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