Hydroelectric
power
Hydro“ means “water“ in Latin – so “hydro power“ is“
.made from water
What is it
• It’s one of the cleanest sources of energy,
and it’s also the most reliable and costs
the least. That means that hydroelectric
power plants are able provide electricity at
a reasonable cost to families, schools,
farms, factories, and businesses.
:How it works
:How it works
• Water is needed to run a
hydroelectric power-
generating unit. The water
is held behind a dam,
forming an artificial lake,
or reservoir. The force of
the water being released
from the reservoir through
the dam spins the blades
of a giant turbine. The
turbine is connected to the
generator that makes
electricity as it spins. After
passing through the
turbine, the water flows
************
*
It might sound odd
that we can use
water to make
electricity - they're
a dangerous
combination,
right? Actually, the
water never
comes in contact
with the
electricity. The
water flowing
down a river is
used to spin the
The first hydro-
electric power plant
in the world
On September
30, 1882, the
world's first
hydroelectric
power plant
began
operation on
the Fox River
in Appleton,
.Wisconsin
How it all started
• Humans have been
harnessing water to
perform work for
thousands of years.
The Greeks used water
wheels for grinding
wheat into flour more
than 2,000 years ago.
Besides grinding flour,
the power of the water
was used to saw wood
and power textile mills
and manufacturing
facts
• Hydropower is the most important and
widely-used renewable source of energy.
• Hydropower represents 19% of total
electricity production.
•Canada is the largest producer of
hydroelectri-city, followed by the United
States and Brazil.
•Approximately two-thirds of the
economically feasible potential remains
to be developed. Untapped hydro
resources are still abundant in Latin
Advantages of this energy
:resource
1. this type of energy is not dependent
upon the price of uranium, oil, or other
types of fuel. This makes electricity
costs lower and more stable.
2. The pollution created by
hydroelectric energy generation is
quite minimal.
3. It doesn't require many employees
to run a hydroelectric station.
6. Hydroelectric stations can operate
for many years after they are built.
7. They tend to last longer than solar
panels do.
