Hydroelectric

 

Hydroelectricity is electricity produced by movement of water. It is usually made with dams that block a river to make a reservoir or collect water that is pumped there. When the water is released, the pressure behind the dam forces the water down pipes that lead to a turbine.

In 2006, hydroelectricity supplied around 20% of the world's electricity. Most hydroelectric power stations use water held in dams to drive turbines and generators which turn mechanical energy into electrical energy. The largest hydroelectric power station in the world is the Three Gorges Dam in China.

The best fossil fuel plants are only about 50% efficient. In the U.S., hydropower is produced for an average of 0.85 cents per kilowatt-hour (kwh). This is about 50% the cost of nuclear, 40% the cost of fossil fuel, and 25% the cost of using natural gas

advantages

Hydropower is fueled by water, so it's a clean fuel source, meaning it won't pollute the air like power plants that burn fossil fuels, such as coal or natural gas. Hydroelectric power is a domestic source of energy, allowing each state to produce their own energy without being reliant on international fuel sources.

Disadvantages

Environmental Consequences. The environmental consequences of hydropower are related to interventions in nature due to damming of water, changed water flow and the construction of roads and power lines. ...

Expensive. ...

Droughts. ...

Limited Reservoirs.

Hydropower plants capture the energy of falling water to generate electricity. A turbine converts the kinetic energy of falling water into mechanical energy. Then a generator converts the mechanical energy from the turbine into electrical energy.

Where is hydroelectricity found

Hydroelectricity is found in places like dams where water is found to power something for electricity it is also found in places with wind and seas.

Hydroelectricity in Scotland

Hydro power produces about 12% of Scotland’s electricity, with considerable potential remaining to introduce new hydro schemes and expand or improve the efficiency of existing facilities.

More than half of Scotland’s 145 hydroelectric schemes are in the Highlands and Islands area, with the most modern plants achieving energy conversion rates topping 90%.

Total hydro generation capacity in Scotland is about 1,500 megawatts (MW), a figure that was overtaken by the country’s faster-growing windpower capacity in 2009.Though hydro’s once-rapid growth has slowed, new major development opportunities are in hand, and scopehas been identified for thous ands of smaller schemes.