Hello, people of the world! Welcome back to Climate Change with Tech, I’m alunissage and I’ll be the one posting this week! I’d like to thank Robotics Girl for giving me this chance- she’s so amazing and I’m thrilled to be working with her on this! Today we’ll be diving into hydro power- what is it, where it came from, how it’s made (what hydropower plants are), and how it’s good for our environment. So, without further ado, let’s move on to what you all came here to read about- hydro power!
Let’s start out with the basics- what is hydropower, and how do we make it? Hydro power (also known as hydroelectric power) is defined by the U.S Department of Energy as “a renewable source of energy that generates power by using a dam or diversion structure to alter the natural flow of a river or other body of water.” Basically, it’s energy that's made when water moves. Hydroelectric power is actually one of the oldest ways that we use to generate energy- it can be dated back to Ancient Greece, where farmers would use this technique to grind grains. Just because hydro power is old doesn’t mean that it’s any less useful! In fact, in 2021, hydro power in the U.S made up 6.3% of all of the energy generated across the country, and 31.5% of total renewable energy generation!
Now, let’s move on to the hydropower plants! To start, there are 3 main types of facilities that we use- impoundment, diversion, and pumped storage. An impoundment facility is the most common way to generate hydropower. It’s typically a large hydropower system, and it uses a dam to store water in a reservoir. The water that will be released from the reservoir then flows through a turbine, spinning it around. This activates a generator that produces energy. The water may be released if there are changing electricity needs, flood control, and other environmental needs that need to be met. The second facility that is used in creating hydropower is a diversion facility. It channels a portion of a river through a canal and/or penstock (a closed conduit that regulates how the water is flowing, which is controlled by gates, valves, and turbines.) to utilize the natural decline of the elevation in a river. The diversion method doesn’t require a dam. The third and final method is pumped storage. Pumped storage, also known as PSH, works similar to a giant batter. The PSH facility has the capacity to store electricity that is generated by other power sources, like solar, for future use. The facilities store this energy by pumping water from a reservoir that has a lower elevation to a reservoir that is located at the higher elevation. When there is a lower demand for energy, the facility will store energy by transferring energy from a low elevation to a high elevation, but when there is a higher demand for electricity, the water will be released back into the lower elevation reservoir, and is turned into a turbine.
Finally, what are the benefits for using hydroelectric energy? First off, hydroelectricity is a type of renewable energy, meaning that it doesn't use fossil fuels in order to make energy that we use in our everyday lives. Secondly, it can actually help in the fight against climate change. Hydropower releases very little greenhouse gasses, and although only about a third of the potential hydropower possesses has been developed, hydropower prevents even more greenhouse gasses from going to our atmosphere by offering a renewable, easy way to generate energy. Third, hydropower plants are cost efficient, as well! They have a long lifetime (50 to 100 years) and are easy to upgrade and have low maintenance and operating costs.
Overall, hydro power is a revolutionary way that we can generate electricity.
And now, here are some ways that you can make a difference!
Recycle! You can recycle plastic bottles and bags that include the little recycle sign
You can volunteer to help with local clean-ups!
You can help us spread the word- make people aware of what climate change is and how bad it is!
Use less disposable plastics
Try walking or riding a bike to short distances instead of a car
Plant things! It’s a fun hobby and also helps the planet a lot!
You can buy local and organic produce
Thank you for taking time to read this article, and keep making a difference!
alunissage
Works Cited
“10 Interesting Things about Energy – Climate Change: Vital Signs of the Planet.” Climate Change: Vital Signs of the Planet, NASA, 16 June 2016, https://climate.nasa.gov/news/2444/10-interesting-things-about-energy/.
“How Hydropower Works | Department of Energy.” Energy.Gov, Office of ENERGY EFFICIENCY & RENEWABLE ENERGY, https://www.energy.gov/eere/water/how-hydropower-works. Accessed 13 Aug. 2022.
“Hydropower Explained - U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA).” Homepage - U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), EIA - Independent Statistics & Analysis - U.S. Energy Information Administration, 2022, https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/hydropower/.
“Local Renewable Energy Benefits and Resources | US EPA.” US EPA, EPA - United States Environmental Protection Agency , 6 July 2017, https://www.epa.gov/statelocalenergy/local-renewable-energy-benefits-and-resources#:~:text=Benefits%20of%20Renewable%20Energy,-Environmental%20and%20economic&text=Generating%20energy%20that%20produces%20no,in%20manufacturing%2C%20installation%2C%20and%20more.
“Types of Hydropower Plants | Department of Energy.” Energy.Gov, Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy, https://www.energy.gov/eere/water/types-hydropower-plants. Accessed 13 Aug. 2022.
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