HydroEnergyJan Pinon

• Hydropower plants produce about 24 percent of the world's electricity and supply more than 1 billion people with power.

• The world's hydropower plants output a combined total of 675,000 megawatts, the energy equivalent of 3.6 billion barrels of oil.

• Canada is the largest producer of hydropower in the world while the United States is second.

What is hydro energy?

• Hydro energy is simply energy that is taken from water and converted to electricity.

• The most common method of using energy from water is a hydroelectric dam.

• It can be generated from the energy flowing water, tidal forces or wave power.

Ideas from the Past.

• The waterwheel is a device that uses flowing or falling water to create power with a set of paddles mounted around a wheel.

• The force of the water moved the paddles, and the rotation of the wheel is transmitted to machinery via the shaft of the wheel.

• The first reference to its use dates back to about 4000 B.C.

• They were used for crop irrigation, supply drinking water to villages, drive sawmills, etc.

Hydroelectric dams

• This is based on a simple idea- water flowing through a dam turns a turbine, which turns a generator, creating energy.

• Step 1: a dam is built to hold back water, creating a reservoir

• Step 2: gates open and water flows towards turbines

• Step 3: the water turns the turbines, which is attached to a generator.

• Step 4: a series of magnets turn inside the generator, producing alternating current

• Step 5: the water re-enters the river

Pumped-storage dams

• A different type of hydroelectric dam

• Instead of having water flow down through the dam then exiting, a pumped-storage dam has two reservoirs

o Upper reservoir - The water in this reservoir flows through the hydropower plant to create electricity.

o Lower reservoir - Water from the upper reservoir is pumped back up and to generate more electricity.

• Basically, its recycling the water again.

• This is done during periods of peak consumption

Pros:

• Hydropower is clean.• It is renewable.• It doesn't produce any

greenhouse gases or other air pollution.

• It also doesn't generate any waste products, or burn fossil fuels.

• It is cheaper than other methods

• It can be used quickly to meet demand

Cons:

• The dams are very expensive to build.• It can sometimes change the natural

flow of the water which can make it possible to harm plants and animals in the water.

• It can also damage areas and wildlife when areas are flooded upstream

• Finding a suitable site can be difficult.

Hydro Electric Plants in B.C.

• There are 19 hydro electric plants in BC

• Aberfeldie, Arrow Lakes, Akolkolex, Bonnington, Brandywine Creek, Brilliant Dam, Elko Dam, Falls River, Furry Creek, Gordon M Shrum, Mica, Peace Canyon, Pingston Creek, Revelstoke, Rutherford Creek, Seven Mile, Upper Mamquam, Waneta Dam, Woodfibre.

• Most are operated by B.C. Hydro.

Citations:

– "Hydroelectric Plants in Canada - British Columbia." The Power Plants Around the World. 01112009. Platts, Web. 17 Jan 2010. <http://www.industcards.com/hydro-canada-bc.htm>.

– Bonsor, Kevin. "How Hydropower Plants Work." HowStuffWorks. Discovery, Web. 17 Jan 2010. <http://science.howstuffworks.com/hydropower-plant.htm>.

– "Hydro Energy." KidzWorld. Web. 17 Jan 2010. <http://www.kidzworld.com/article/1375-hydro-energy>.

– Bellis, Mary. "Waterwheel ." About. Web. 17 Jan 2010. <http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/blwaterwheel.htm>.