WHAT IS HYDROPOWER?
Hydropower, or hydroelectric power, is one of the oldest and largest sources of renewable energy, which uses the natural flow of moving water to generate electricity. Hydropower currently accounts for nearly 27% of total U.S. utility-scale renewable electricity generation and 5.7% of total U.S. utility-scale electricity generation.
HOW DO WE GET ENERGY FROM WATER?
Hydropower or hydroelectric power, is a renewable source of energy that generates power by using a dam or diversion structure to alter the natural flow of a river or other body of water. Hydropower relies on the endless, constantly recharging system of the water cycle to produce electricity, using a fuel—water—that is not reduced or eliminated in the process. There are manytypes of hydropower facilities , though they are all powered by the kinetic energy of flowing water as it moves downstream. Hydropower utilizes turbines and generators to convert that kinetic energy into electricity, which is then fed into the electrical grid to power homes, businesses, and industries.
Hydropower technologies generate power by using the elevation difference, created by a dam or diversion structure, of water flowing in on one side and out, far below, on the other. The Department of Energy's "Hydropower 101" video explains how hydropower works and highlights some of the research and development efforts of the Water Power Technologies Office (WPTO) in this area.
Because hydropower uses water to generate electricity, plants are usually located on or near a water source. The energy available from the moving water depends on both the volume of the water flow and the change in elevation also known as the head from one point to another. The greater the flow and the higher the head, the more the electricity that can be generated.
At the plant level, water flows through a pipe also known as a penstock and then spins the blades in a turbine, which, in turn, spins a generator that ultimately produces electricity. Most conventional hydroelectric facilities operate this way, including run-of-the-river systems and pumped storage systems.
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Hydropower is an affordable source of electricity that costs less than most. Since hydropower relies only on the energy from moving water, states that get the majority of their electricity from hydropower, like Idaho, Washington, and Oregon, have lower energy bills than the rest of the country.
Compared to other electricity sources, hydropower also has relatively low costs throughout the duration of a full project lifetime in terms of maintenance, operations, and fuel. Like any major energy source, significant upfront costs are unavoidable, but hydropower’s longer lifespan spreads these costs out over time. Additionally, the equipment used at hydropower facilities often operates for longer periods of time without needing replacements or repairs, saving money in the long term.
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