Hydropower (or Hydroelectric Power)

Hydropower (or Hydroelectric Power) is generated by the gravitational force of falling or flowing water to create energy that can be captured and turned into electricity. The common type of hydroelectric power plant uses a dam on a river to store water in a reservoir. Water released from the reservoir flows through a turbine, spinning it, which in turn activates a generator to produce electricity. Most of the available locations for hydroelectric dams are already used in the developed world.

Hydroelectric Power Plant is a power plant that produces electricity by the force of water falling through a hydro turbine and generator.

Hydroelectricity is electricity produced from hydropower.

Hydroelectricity generation increased by almost 70 TWh (up close to 2%) in 2022, reaching 4 300 TWh. Hydropower remains the largest renewable source of electricity, generating more than all other renewable technologies combined. In the Net Zero Emissions by 2050 Scenario, hydropower maintains an average annual generation growth rate of close to 4% in 2023-2030 to provide approximately 5 500 TWh of electricity per year. In the last five years the average growth rate was less than one-third of what is required, signalling a need for significantly stronger efforts, especially to streamline permitting and ensure project sustainability. Hydropower plants should be recognised as a reliable backbone of the clean power systems of the future and supported accordingly. (Source: IEA Tracking Hydroelectricity)

Hydropower (or Hydroelectric Power) Capacity: In 2015 hydropower generated 16.6% of the world's total electricity and 70% of all renewable electricity, and was expected to increase about 3.1% each year for the next 25 years. Hydropower is produced in 150 countries, with the Asia-Pacific region generating 33 percent of global hydropower in 2013. China is the largest hydroelectricity producer, with 920 TWh of production in 2013, representing 16.9 percent of domestic electricity use. The cost of hydroelectricity is relatively low, making it a competitive source of renewable electricity. The hydro station consumes no water, unlike coal or gas plants. The average cost of electricity from a hydro station larger than 10 megawatts is 3 to 5 U.S. cents per kilowatt-hour. With a dam and reservoir it is also a flexible source of electricity since the amount produced by the station can be changed up or down very quickly to adapt to changing energy demands. Once a hydroelectric complex is constructed, the project produces no direct waste, and has a considerably lower output level of greenhouse gases than fossil fuel powered energy plants. (Source: Wikipedia)

Global annual net hydropower additions are expected to increase to more than 18 GW in 2020 owing to an uptick in large project activity in China. Almost half of China’s growth is from installation of the first units of the Wudongde plant (10 GW); each unit is 850 MW and several were already commissioned this year. The next-largest source of growth is Asia, accounting for 24% of global additions, with significant capacity coming from Lao People’s Democratic Republic (“Lao PDR”), India, Nepal, Viet Nam and Indonesia. Large dams in Turkey and pumped storage in Portugal also drive Europe’s increase in 2020. (Source: IEA Renewable 2020)

90,000 Dams In America: Just 2,500 Produce Hydropower (Source: Oil Price on 22 March 2022): By Alex Kimani - There will not likely be any progress towards net-zero climate goals without hydropower, which could fast become a favourite investment theme–even more so amid a Russian war on Ukraine that has sent oil prices to record highs, with a supply shock looming. But back in the United States, the massive potential of hydropower has been stymied by environmental contradictions. For decades, environmentalists and dam builders in the United States have been locked in a bitter battle. There’s no denying the fact that America’s 90,000 dams serve a very important purpose: they store water, provide renewable energy and prevent floods. In the U.S., hydropower currently accounts for 37% of total U.S. renewable electricity generation and about 7% of total U.S. electricity generation; provides over 90 percent of America’s long-duration energy storage, and powers an estimated 30 million homes. 

Dam is a wall built across a river, and stops the river's flow and collects the water that is a structure for impeding and controlling the flow of water and increases the elevation to create the hydraulic head.

Hydrology is the study of the distribution and movement of water both on and below the Earth’s surface including the occurrence and movement of water. The Hydrology concerns with the water cycle and physical and chemical properties of water, and its relationship with the living and material components of the environment. A hydrologist is studying earth or environmental science, civil or environmental engineering, and physical geography.

Peaking Hydropower is a hydropower plant that generally run only when there is a high demand (peak demand) for part of the day or either shut down for the remainder of the time or operated at minimal capacity level.

Storage Hydropower is a hydropower facility that stores water in a reservoir that is a type of hydroelectric energy storage used by electric power systems for load balancing.

Francis Turbine is a type of hydropower turbine that has water passages through it formed by curved vanes or blades, was developed by James B. Francis in Lowell, Massachusetts.

Pelton Turbine (or Wheel) is a type of impulse hydropower turbine used frequently in hydroelectric plants which causes the runner to rotate, and the rotational motion of the turbine is transmitted by the shaft to a generator. Rhe Pelton Turbine is used for high head, low flow applications that was invented by Lester Allan Pelton in the 1870s.

Water Turbine is a turbine that converts kinetic energy and potential energy of water into mechanical work. Primarily used to power an electric generator.