How Hydropower Plants Work
Hydropower (Hydro power) is energy that comes from the force of moving water. The force of moving water can be extremely great. The fall and flow of water is part of a continuous natural cycle. So hydropower (Hydro power) is called a renewable energy (green energy, alternative power) source
Worldwide, hydropower plants (hydroelectric plants, Hydro plants), as one renewable energy (green energy, alternative power) source, produce about 24% of the world's electricity, supply more than one billion people with energy. The world's hydropower plants (hydroelectric plants, Hydro plants) output a combined total of 675,000 MW, the energy equivalent of 3.6 billion barrels of oil, according to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. In fact there are more than 2,000 hydro power plants, which are operating, in the United States, making hydropower the country's largest renewable power source.
How do hydropower plants work? Hydropower plants (hydroelectric plants, Hydro plants) uses the force of moving water to make electricity. A typical hydro power plant is a system with three parts:
1. an electric plant where the electricity is produced.
2. a dam that can be opened or closed to control the water flow.
3. a reservoir (artificial lake) where water can be stored.
To make electricity, a dam opens. The dam's gates to allow water from the reservoir (artificial lake) to flow through a large tube called a penstock. At the bottom of the penstock, the fast-moving water spins the blades of a turbine. The turbine is connected to a generator to produce electricity. The electricity is then transported via huge transmission lines to a local utility company.
