How can hydropower energy be used

It's called Hydropower, and it's the largest source of renewable, clean energy in the United States and worldwide. Using the power of the flow of water, we can capture kinetic, or moving, energy. This movement of energy can be used to physically move other objects, like a turbine. Turbines and generators convert the energy and power of flowing water into electricity.

Credit: Energy Information Administration. Water is everywhere, which is fortunate for all of humanity, as water is essential for life. Even though water is not always available in the needed quantity and quality for all people everywhere, people have learned to get and use water for all of their water needs, from drinking, cleaning, irrigating crops, producing electricity, and for just having fun.

So just how do we get electricity from water? Actually, hydroelectric and coal-fired power plants produce electricity in a similar way. In both cases a power source is used to turn a propeller-like piece called a turbine. Nothing is perfect on Earth, and that includes the production of electricity using flowing water.

Hydroelectric-production facilities are indeed not perfect a dam costs a lot to build and also can have negative effects on the environment and local ecology , but there are a number of advantages of hydroelectric-power production as opposed to fossil-fuel power production.

Gravity causes it to fall through the penstock. Demand for electricity is not "flat" and constant. Demand goes up and down during the day, and overnight there is less need for electricity in homes, businesses, and other facilities.

For example, here in Atlanta, Georgia at PM on a hot August weekend day, you can bet there is a huge. Diagram of a hydroelectric generator is courtesy of U.

Army Corps of Engineers. As to how this generator works, the Corps of Engineers explains it this way : "A hydraulic turbine converts the energy of flowing water into mechanical energy. A hydroelectric generator. Skip to main content. Search Search. Water Science School. Hydroelectric Power Water Use. Get water-use data. Water Use Information by Topic Learn more. Science Center Objects Overview Related Science Multimedia Hydropower, or hydroenergy, is a form of renewable energy that uses the water stored in dams, as well as flowing in rivers to create electricity in hydropower plants.

Credit: Wikimedia. Below are other science topics associated with hydroelectric power water use. Date published: August 30, Filter Total Items: 3. Year Select Year Apply Filter. Date published: June 6, Attribution: Water Resources.

Below are multimedia items associated with hydroelectric power water use. The power is sent from a power grid into the electric generators. The generators then spin the turbines backward, which causes the turbines to pump water from a river or lower reservoir to an upper reservoir, where the power is stored. To use the power, the water is released from the upper reservoir back down into the river or lower reservoir. This spins the turbines forward, activating the generators to produce electricity.

A small or micro-hydroelectric power system can produce enough electricity for a home, farm, or ranch. Read More Hydropower News Here. Hydropower content for this section provided in part by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory and the Department of Energy. For more news and updates on the global hydropower industry, visit the Hydro Review website.