Pumped-storage hydroelectricity

about hydroelectricity. One can see this shift in thinking in a 2012 report released by the United States Energy Department which details how 90% of all dams in the US are not producing electricity with 63% of those dams suitable for hydroelectric energy production (Hydropower resource assessment and characterization). A critic of the hydroelectric retrofitting strategy might point out that in the same report it details how these dams have the capabilities to produce only fifteen percent more hydroelectric power, and how this is a very underwhelming statistic considering hydroelectric power only produces six percent of the total energy produced in America. This is a valid point, but the energy creation isn’t the most promising quality about hydroelectric energy generation (What is U.S. electricity generation by energy source). The most promising quality hydropower possesses is the reduction of curtailments of other less predictable energies, such as solar and wind power, through a process called pumped storage. Pumped storage saves energy from peak production hours by pumping water up the dam in order to be able to recapture the pumped water’s energy in times of low energy production from solar or wind sources. Granted, not all dams have the capability to produce pumped storage electricity and even those that do destroy the ecology of a river system by providing variable water lines. But, as of right now 97% of all utility grade electricity storage is stored in pumped water…

The big ways of irrigation just aren’t need there, it is needed on a much smaller scale. For this drip irrigation is a popular method (Irrigation). It is also popular on the big scale too. Drip irrigation is when water is pumped through small plastic pipes with small holes drilled in them and water slowly drips out by the plant. Another way irrigation is used on a small scale is spray irrigation (Irrigation). This can also be used on a larger scale. The most common way for spray irrigation…

Pollution, acid rain, toxic waste, global warming, sustainability, recycling; these terms are thrown into society and people start to believe there may not be a solution to the endless usage of oil, buildup of landfills, and seepage of chemicals into rivers. While there will always be individuals who fight against the possibility of going green, it just takes one individual at a time to make a difference. From the simple solution of planting a garden suggested by Pollan to the extensive research…

Hydroelectric Energy Reliability Hydroelectric energy is utilized for many aspects of our daily life due to the huge amount of consumption required for things such as using an outlet. Hydroelectric energy is electricity produced by hydropower, which means it uses the gravitational force of falling or flowing water. However, there is debate regarding the reliability of hydroelectric energy as a renewable energy source since some organizations believe hydroelectric energy is actually doing more…

be restored to its original state if the process were to be in reverse. As the water flows through the hydroelectric dam, the water causes the turbine to spin. The turbine then produces mechanical work. Mechanical work tends to produce heat and heat loss. If the reverse process cannot reclaim the same amount of energy that the system was able to output, then the process is considered to be irreversible. Some process that occur within a hydroelectric dam could be considered reversible. The…

Many people say that Renewable, and Alternative energies are going to be the only viable options for energy in the future. Others believe that these new types of fuels will only harm the planet more. This research paper will cover topics such as: what are the different types of Alternative/Renewable energy? What are the pros and cons of the different types of Alternative energy? Is it a long term solution? Geothermal, Hydroelectricity, Solar power, and Wind power are some of the more common…

Waste can not simply be thrown away anymore into a repulsive dump or burned away into the air to contribute to pollution, it must be managed! 4.3 lb. of trash is created per person in the U.S., according to futurecity.org. Many processes used to get rid of trash is to either burn them, dump them in landfills, or ship them somewhere else. If this continues, these ways will contribute to polluting the water, air, and soil. Soon, it will be high-priced and time consuming to clean up all of the…

A world that is increasingly becoming unstable as time goes by because of human activity, it would seem logical for humanity to come together and form a solution to stopping something that is one day going to be extremely chaotic.Tesla motors is more than a car company, it 's a technology company. They base most of their revenue from cars and batteries but are starting to really enter a new bracket as an environmentalist company as well. They created plan which involved the creation of an…

#1- How will the dam affect the environment in a positive way? The dam on the in the Amazon Basin will cause a positive impact on the environment. Conversely, the dam will reduce the consumption of fossil fuel for electricity reproduction. Opposing to many environmentalists that believe that the dam will make a negative impact on the environment by causing waste and pollution. But the structure will reduce air pollution by using hydroelectric power to help control and stop flooding. Instead…

Due to the increase in demand for renewable energy a surge in large dam projects for hydropower generation is expected. Because hydropower is one of the most economic energy sources and is renewable along with other benefits such as irrigation, flood mitigation, navigation and water supply. In case of construction of large dams changes in terrestrial ecosystems can alter the climate, soils, vegetation, water resources and bio diversity. Therefore it is essential to understand the environmental…