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Hydro Power

Description

Hydro-electric power is power obtained from the movement of masses of water. It is different from other power sources because the electricity comes from water.

The Production of Power from Hydro Energy

Step One: Water flows into a hydroelectric power plant.
Step Two: The water flows through a pipe called a penstock and pushes blades on a turbine, making them turn.
Step Three: The turbine spins a generator to produce electricity.
Step Four: Electricity goes into your homes or wherever else electricity is used.



Advantages of Hydro Power

Disadvantages of Hydro Power
  • Hydro power is a clean, efficient way of producing electricity.
  • It can cause flooding on land above the dams and disrupt the normal flow of water below them,affecting the ecosystem of a river.
  • It is the most readily available, renewable, and clean source of electricity around right now.
  • The dams that are made can affect the migrating patterns of some fish.
  • It is more reliable and efficient and less expensive than geothermal, biomass, wind, and solar energy.
  • It can only be used where there is a good river.

    • A big producer of hydro-electricity is the Niagara River. It runs from Lake Erie to Lake Ontario and today, it produces almost two million kilowatts of electricity from a number of power plants on the Canadian side.

    Bibliography

    "Hydro Power" available at http://www.loonycat.com/hydro_power.htm February 25, 2002

    "Energy Fact Sheet" available at http://www.iclei.org/efacts/hydroele.htm February 25, 2002