Hydroelectric Energy is one of the three forms of water energy. The other two forms of water energy being the tidal and wave energy. Water energy in its turn is one of the 5 renewable green energy sources.
It is worth to collect and accumulate the important and crucial facts and figures about this important renewable green energy source. This will enable us to understand the importance of hydropower, power that is used effectively to produce hydroelectricity.
- Hydroelectric energy is the energy produced from falling water. Water may be falling naturally, natural waterfalls like the Niagara falls, or artificially by the creation of a manmade fall.
- There are 3 methods for generating hydroelectric energy. The conventional method, the run-of-the river and the pumped storage.
- Hydropower has been used through the centuries to drive mills and other labor intensive activities
- Dams are the sites that are most naturally used for the production of hydroelectricity.
- Hydroelectric energy is the number one renewable energy source in the world and it accounts for about 6 per cent of the total production of electricity
- The first hydroelectric power station that produced electricity was built in the USA in the year 1882. This was built in the state of Wisconsin.
- Hydropower produces 19 per cent of the total energy supply of the USA.
- Hydroelectricity accounts for about 10% of the total electricity produced in the USA
- The cost of hydroelectricity is 5.1-11.3 cents per KWh and it is competitive to most conventional energy sources. Hydroelectric energy is the cheapest when compared with the energy costs of nuclear, coal, gas, wind and solar
- Hydropower is the least expensive energy source in the USA and it is reason that a lot of industries and computer data centers have been built in the areas which have hydropower stations.
- Hydropower can be used as start-up power in case of general power system failure.
- The largest hydroelectric power station is located in China. It is the 3 Gorges dam and has a generating capacity of 22,500 MW
- The tallest hydroelectric power station is the one at the Rogun dam in Tajikistan. It is 1000 feet tall.
- There are currently over 2000 hydroelectric power plants in the USA.
- There are over 150 countries in the world which have some form of hydropower plants.
- The top 5 hydroelectric energy producing countries are: China, Canada, USA, Brazil and Russia. They are followed by India, Japan, Norway and Venezuela.
- Norway produces about 99% of its electricity needs from hydropower.
- China as the top hydroelectric energy producing country produces about 200 GW of electricity form hydroelectric power plants
- Hydropower is considered to be 60% reliable.
- Hydropower does not produce any CO2 emissions or any other gas pollutions..
Hydropower and the energy produced from this power is one the renewable green energy sources that is expanding rapidly in the areas where water is in abundance given the fact that it is cost effective and it is certainly a clean form of energy.
