RUNNING HEAD: HYDROELECTRIC POWER

Hydroelectric Power

McKenzie Hosenfeld

Salt Lake Community College

12/1/2015

Author note: This research paper is focused on hydropower; the discovery, the benefits, and the
physics behind this type of green energy.

Hydroelectric Power

Hydroelectric power is a renewable energy source in which the force or energy of moving
water is utilized to generate electric power. This power is generated when falling water is
channeled through water turbines. The pressure of the flowing water on turbine blades rotates a
shaft and drives an electrical generator, converting the motion into electrical energy ("Benefits of
Hydropower). Hydropower generates more than twenty percent of the worlds energy in more
than 160 countries across the globe.

To understand the importance of hydropower, we must begin at its roots. The energy
produced by moving water has been utilized for thousands of years. In ancient Greece, farmers
discovered that they could use a running river to grind wheat into flour ("Hydropower Facts).
This was done by a submerging a large wheel which had buckets or paddles attached to the
outside rim. As water moved down a river, its weight and power forces the wheel to spin, thus
converting the potential and kinetic energy of a reservoir into rotational kinetic energy. In
addition to grinding wheat into flour, water wheels were also used to drive mine pumps, hammer
iron, crush ore, and prepare fiber to make cloth.

This discovery, along with many others, led to the eventual invention of hydroelectric
power by Nikola Tesla and George Westinghouse. The first of these hydroelectric power plants
was built in Niagara Falls in 1895, which was made up of three generators which each producing

Hydroelectric Power

2,200 volts. The plant was fueled by Teslas invention of alternating currents (AC) and harnessed
power from the falls for long distance electricity; The plant sent electricity to the city of Buffalo,
New York, more than 20 miles away. By 1905, the Niagara Falls hydroelectric power plant was
producing more than ten percent of the United States electrical power.

Although Teslas invention of the hydroelectric power plant is nothing short of legendary,
the science behind his discovery is quite simple. It all begins with water, usually stored in dams
and reservoirs. At the bottom of the river or dam, there is a flood gate that opens to allow water
to enter a large pipe called the Penstock. The Penstock is on a declining slope, and as the water
falls, potential energy is converted to kinetic energy as it gains speed. This speed leads the water
to rotate turbines, which are connected to the generators. As the water spins the generator, kinetic
energy is converted into electric energy, which is then stored or transmitted.

Hydroelectricity has developed and grown steadily within the past century. A large reason
why hydroelectricity has become popular and widely accepted is because of its renewability.
Water itself is a renewable resource: More than 70% of the earth is covered by it. Because water
is a naturally occurring domestic produce and is not reliant on foreign suppliers, there is no
dependence upon changing prices, transportation problems, and shaky national security
(Hydropower).

Hydroelectric Power

Hydroelectricity is also a green energy source. Because no fossil fuels are used in this
process, it does not produce pollution. There are also no dangerous by-products that are
manufactured, thus eliminating any waste. Another green aspect of hydroelectricity is the ability
to close dams when water is in higher demand, allowing for a more sustained use of water during
droughts.

Like all aspects of life there are both positive and negative aspects of this energy source,
one of the most controversial being the effects of dams on the environment. The construction of
large dams has been shown to have a large impact on wildlife. The ecosystem is disturbed when
a dam takes the place of their habitat- forcing relocation. Salmon are particularly affected by the
building of reservoirs because it inhibits their ability to swim upstream to spawn
("Environmental Impacts of Hydroelectric Power). Although technologies like fish ladders
allow salmon to go up over dams to enter spawning areas, the fish population continues to
decline.

The outlook on hydropowers future is bright, with new technologies in its future.
Scientists believe that the future of hydroelectricity will be less in mega-dams and more in tidal
power. Tidal power is electricity harnessed by potential energy of the shifting waves in ocean
tides. It is less expensive to build, more dependable, and less harmful to the environment.

Hydroelectric Power

Hydropower is believed to take a large role in the future of energy production because of its
countless positive aspects.

With hydropower providing more than 97% of all renewable energy produced worldwide,
this energy source is set to become a significantly important energy source for the future. With its
renewability and reliability, there are high expectations that hydroelectric power will one day
help replace our non-renewable energy sources.

Hydroelectric Power

References

"Advantages of Hydro Power." Conserve Energy Future. 2010. Web. 26 Nov. 2015.

"Alternative Energy." University of Minnesota, 2013. Web. 20 Nov. 2015.

"Benefits of Hydropower." Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy, 2014. Web. 25
Nov. 2015.

"Hydropower." Renewable Energy. 2011. Web. 16 Nov. 2015.

"Hydropower Facts." National Geographic, 2011. Web. 23 Nov. 2015.

"Environmental Impacts of Hydroelectric Power." Union of Concerned Scientists. 2013. Web. 26

Nov. 2015.