Hydroelectric Power

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Hydroelectric Power

• A New Spin on Energy

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What is hydroelectric Power?

• A way to use the force of falling water to create
  electrical energy
• At its base is the conservation of energy, from
  gravitational potential energy to electrical
  energy

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How does it work?
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How does the dam work?

• Controls the flow of water through the generators
  to create an organized flow of power producing
  water.
• Generator works on the idea of a rotating
  magnetic field create a rotating electric field,
  thus creating alternating current

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Parts of a dam
Penstock
Reservoir
Generator
Turbine
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Benefits of dams

• Create more power and is more reliable than solar
  and wind energy
• Clean, renewable
• Dams are a big cost, however once created they
  create cheap energy
• 2400 of the nations 8000 dams are hydroelectric
• Most dams are multipurpose flood control, water
  supply, irrigation, recreation, transportation,
  refuges for wildlife

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Hydroelectric use
1 kWh, 3412 BTU
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Hydroelectric power use

• Hydroelectric power is concentrated mostly in the
  Pacific Northwest because it provides the best
  locations
• 63 of hydropower comes from the Northwest
• 7 of US energy budget is devoted to
  hydroelectric power, but it is decreasing
• Hydroelectric dams create 9 of the nations
  electricity

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Hydroelectric power use

• 49 of renewable energy
• Creates enough energy to provide for 28 million
  households

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Hoover Dam
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Hoover dam

• Dam building started during the depression,
  which is when most dams began being built
• April 30, 1931 March 1, 1936
• Original Cost 49 million
• Inflated Cost 676 million
• Average energy created between 1947 and 2005 4.4
  billion kW hours.
• Maintained by the Bureau of Reclamation

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MONEY, MONEY, MONEY

• Expensive to build
• Hoover dam 676 million

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LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION

• Changes in elevation
• High precipitation

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JUST KEEP SWIMMING, SWIMMING

• Salmon population is declining
• Migration is disturbed
• Pacific Northwest of North America
• Food chain is affected no more yummy fish!

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Steps taken to protect the fish

• Fish ladders
• fish-friendly turbines
• Screens

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ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGES

• Flooding
• 1) Controlling
• 2) Creating
• Deforestation
• Carbon Dioxide
• Methane gas
• Global Warming