Hydroelectric power is harnessing the force of the movement of water and turning it into electricity. It has many positive advantages including it being a very good alternative to fossil fuels because it is a renewable resource. Primitive forms of it have been used for a very long time, starting back in ancient Greece which would use a water wheel to grind grain.1 This wheel would be placed on river and the turning of the wheel caused the kinetic energy that water possess into mechanical energy. It also has been used in saw mills to cut wood using this same principle. 1 In 1879 the 1st hydroelectric plant was founded using Niagara Falls in Canada and New York. The immense force that the water created was put onto turbines connected to generators,
…show more content…
It produces 90% of the renewable energy world wide and 81% in the United States.1It makes a nation self-sufficient in providing power because it does not rely on sources like the Middle East for fuel.4 When the reservoir is created it also creates a place of recreation for humans, where they can boat, swimming, tubing and other outdoor activities. It can create more power quickly if it’s needed by taking more water into the system, this means it can be used as emergency power. It can also be used in farming for irrigation, flood control and water supply.4 Hydroelectric power also decreases the amount of fossil fuels used in a community. Lastly it has no waste products or greenhouse gases that it …show more content…
It also has some major disadvantages that puts the ecosystem of the area at risk. It is been in existence for hundreds of years even before fossil fuels had been used. In the future there may be ways to try to make the disadvantages smaller and not affect the surrounding areas so much. Much research is now being put in to see how much impact these plants and dams have really have on earthquakes.5 It is also being looked into using the concepts of hydroelectric power to harness the power of ocean and waves. This including using currents like the gulf stream which are more powerful than waterfalls to create energy but the turbines would need to be able to withstand a very large amount of pressure from the water.6 So research is being put into turbines that would move with the current. It also being looked into not controlling the flow of water but using it to the befit of creating energy without having such an impact on the environment.6 Overall hydroelectric power is going in the right direction and that is why it is the most used renewable power source in the
It produces 90% of the renewable energy world wide and 81% in the United States.1It makes a nation self-sufficient in providing power because it does not rely on sources like the Middle East for fuel.4 When the reservoir is created it also creates a place of recreation for humans, where they can boat, swimming, tubing and other outdoor activities. It can create more power quickly if it’s needed by taking more water into the system, this means it can be used as emergency power. It can also be used in farming for irrigation, flood control and water supply.4 Hydroelectric power also decreases the amount of fossil fuels used in a community. Lastly it has no waste products or greenhouse gases that it …show more content…
It also has some major disadvantages that puts the ecosystem of the area at risk. It is been in existence for hundreds of years even before fossil fuels had been used. In the future there may be ways to try to make the disadvantages smaller and not affect the surrounding areas so much. Much research is now being put in to see how much impact these plants and dams have really have on earthquakes.5 It is also being looked into using the concepts of hydroelectric power to harness the power of ocean and waves. This including using currents like the gulf stream which are more powerful than waterfalls to create energy but the turbines would need to be able to withstand a very large amount of pressure from the water.6 So research is being put into turbines that would move with the current. It also being looked into not controlling the flow of water but using it to the befit of creating energy without having such an impact on the environment.6 Overall hydroelectric power is going in the right direction and that is why it is the most used renewable power source in the