Hydropower: Electricity From Moving Water

Hydropower: Hydropower: Electricity From Electricity From Moving WaterMoving Water

By: Lauren By: Lauren MurphyMurphy

and Candice and Candice BurganBurgan

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Main goalMain goal To provide an adequate To provide an adequate

and efficient natural and efficient natural source of energy without source of energy without the burning of fossil the burning of fossil fuels.fuels.

To harness the energy of To harness the energy of moving watermoving water

To provide a cheap To provide a cheap source of energysource of energy

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Layout of a DamLayout of a Dam

http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/hyhowworks.html

How it worksHow it works Build a dam on a large river that has a Build a dam on a large river that has a

large drop in elevation large drop in elevation The dam stores lots of water behind it The dam stores lots of water behind it

in the reservoir in the reservoir Near the bottom of the dam wall there Near the bottom of the dam wall there

is the water intake is the water intake Gravity causes it to fall through the Gravity causes it to fall through the

penstock inside the dam penstock inside the dam At the end of the penstock there is a At the end of the penstock there is a

turbine propeller, which is turned by turbine propeller, which is turned by the moving water the moving water

How it works contd.How it works contd. The shaft from the turbine goes up The shaft from the turbine goes up

into the generator, which produces into the generator, which produces the power the power

Power lines are connected to the Power lines are connected to the generator that carry electricity generator that carry electricity

The water continues past the The water continues past the propeller through the tailrace into propeller through the tailrace into the river past the dam the river past the dam

Hydroelectric generatorHydroelectric generator

http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/hyhowworks.html

A hydraulic turbine converts the energy of flowing water into mechanical energy. A hydroelectric generator converts this mechanical energy into electricity.

Hydroelectric Hydroelectric Power: 9.8%Power: 9.8%

http://www.eia.doe.gov/cneaf/electricity/epa/epa_sum.html

Top Generating Top Generating CountriesCountries

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Expense of Power Expense of Power ProductionProduction

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Purpose of DamsPurpose of Dams

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Provides 97.9% of all Provides 97.9% of all Electricity by Renewable Electricity by Renewable

ResourcesResources

http://www.eia.doe.gov/cneaf/electricity/epa/epa_sum.html

AdvantagesAdvantages - 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

Disadvantages/Disadvantages/Environmental problemsEnvironmental problems

High construction costsHigh construction costs High environmental impactsHigh environmental impacts High CO2 emissions from biomass decay in High CO2 emissions from biomass decay in

shallow reservoirsshallow reservoirs Floods natural areasFloods natural areas Converts land habitat to lake habitatConverts land habitat to lake habitat Danger of collapseDanger of collapse Uproots peopleUproots people Decreases fish harvest below damDecreases fish harvest below dam Decreases flow of natural fertilizer to land Decreases flow of natural fertilizer to land

below dambelow dam Large water loss due to evaporationLarge water loss due to evaporation

Collapsing of damsCollapsing of dams Many dams aren’t Many dams aren’t

maintained properlymaintained properly Lack of concern Lack of concern

about risk and about risk and problemsproblems

This causes mass-This causes mass-flooding and even flooding and even loss of lifeloss of life

Internal erosionInternal erosion

http://www.hatchenergy.com/Innovations/Spring2006/guest_dam.html

Problems with Problems with hydropowerhydropower

Takes up a lot of spaceTakes up a lot of space Costs are extremely highCosts are extremely high Good land areas for construction Good land areas for construction

have already been takenhave already been taken Consumes a lot of time for planning Consumes a lot of time for planning

and constructionand construction The life expectancy of dams are only The life expectancy of dams are only

around 50 years around 50 years Even at this age these dams are Even at this age these dams are

considered to be at a high risk for considered to be at a high risk for failingfailing

Rate of constructionRate of construction

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Make a differenceMake a difference Hydroelectricity eliminates the flue Hydroelectricity eliminates the flue

gas emissions from fossil fuels, gas emissions from fossil fuels, including pollutants such as sulfur including pollutants such as sulfur dioxide, nitric oxide, carbon dioxide, nitric oxide, carbon monoxide, dust, and mercury in the monoxide, dust, and mercury in the coal. coal.

Doesn’t contribute to Doesn’t contribute to global warming!global warming!

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Technological obstaclesTechnological obstacles Building strong and efficient dams to Building strong and efficient dams to

withstand the passage of timewithstand the passage of time Find efficient ways to minimize Find efficient ways to minimize

environmental impactsenvironmental impacts

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Political/Economic Political/Economic obstaclesobstacles

High production/building costsHigh production/building costs Creating total revenue to build Creating total revenue to build Value tradeoffsValue tradeoffs Market pricesMarket prices Water use allocations cause Water use allocations cause

controversycontroversy Mass displacement of peopleMass displacement of people Large investments in energy sources Large investments in energy sources

(large scale dams)(large scale dams)

Three Gorges DamThree Gorges Dam Largest dam in the worldLargest dam in the world

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BibliographyBibliography http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/hyhowworks.hthttp://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/hyhowworks.ht

mlml 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