Hydroelectric power is a clean, renewable energy source that generates almost 70% of the world’s electricity. The first hydroelectric plant was built in 1882 in Wisconsin. Hydroelectric power plants are more efficient than coal-fired power plants, but they can cause environmental damage such as flooding and habitat loss for fish and other wildlife species that live near rivers or streams that are dammed during construction projects.
Hydroelectric power, or electricity produced from water, is a clean and renewable energy source that generates almost 70% of the world’s electricity.
Hydroelectric power plants use dams to store water behind them. When there are high levels of rainfall, this excess water can be released through turbines in order to generate electricity. Hydroelectric plants do not burn any fossil fuels and therefore do not produce greenhouse gases like other forms of power generation do.
Hydropower is the most widely used form of renewable energy worldwide due to its low cost of production and wide availability throughout most parts of the globe–more than 1/3rd (37%) of global electricity production comes from hydropower!
The first hydroelectric plant was built in 1882 in Wisconsin.
Since then, hydroelectric power has grown to be one of the most widely used renewable energy sources in the world. The U.S. gets the majority of its electricity from fossil fuels like coal and natural gas; however, there are many benefits to using this clean and renewable energy source over other options like coal-fired power plants or nuclear reactors:
- Hydroelectric plants can run continuously without any interruption because they don’t require fuel supplies like fossil fuels do (fossil fuels release harmful greenhouse gases into the atmosphere when they burn).
- Hydroelectric plants are more efficient than other types of generators such as wind turbines or solar panels because they only use water pressure rather than wind currents or sunlight from above ground level–and since water doesn’t stop flowing during winter months!
Hydroelectric power plants are more efficient than coal-fired power plants.
This is because they don’t need to burn fossil fuels or transport them by truck, train or ship. The water used in hydroelectricity can be stored behind dams and released as needed. This allows the plant to run 24 hours a day, 365 days annually with little variation between peak and off-peak times of use (this is called “load following”).
The U.S. gets the majority of its electricity from fossil fuels like coal and natural gas.
- Hydroelectric power is a clean and renewable energy source.
- The U.S. gets the majority of its electricity from fossil fuels like coal and natural gas, which account for about two-thirds of all electricity generation in the country.
It takes millions of gallons of water to create one megawatt-hour of hydroelectric power, which is enough energy to power about 800 U.S. homes for an hour.
One megawatt-hour of hydroelectric power is enough energy to power about 800 U.S. homes for an hour, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). To create that much electricity, you’d need millions of gallons of water.
The amount of water used for hydroelectricity varies depending on what type of dam is being used and where it’s located; however, most dams use between 3 million and 5 million gallons per minute during their peak production periods, according to the EIA.
Hydroelectric dams are a popular source of renewable energy, but they can also cause environmental damage such as flooding and habitat loss for fish and other wildlife species that live near rivers or streams that are dammed during construction projects.
In order to create a hydroelectric power plant, you must build a large dam across a river or stream. The water behind this structure is then trapped in an artificial lake called an “impoundment.”
A turbine converts kinetic energy from flowing water into mechanical energy which powers generators at the base of the dam (or sometimes within tunnels drilled through solid rock). These generators produce electricity while also creating additional electric current by spinning magnets inside coils of wire encased in metal cases called stators (or alternators), which connect directly with your home’s wiring system so that you can use it right away!
Hydroelectric power is a clean, renewable energy source that can provide us with reliable energy without polluting the air or adding greenhouse gases to the atmosphere
Hydroelectric power plants use the force of falling water to turn turbines, which then spins magnets in coils of wire. This creates current that travels through transmission lines to homes and businesses.
Hydroelectric power does not pollute the air or add greenhouse gases to the atmosphere like fossil fuels do when they burn for energy generation purposes (coal, natural gas). Renewable sources like hydroelectricity provide us with reliable sources of energy without contributing significantly towards global climate change
Bottom Line
Hydroelectric power is a clean and renewable energy source that can provide us with reliable energy without polluting the air or adding greenhouse gases to the atmosphere. It’s also one of the most efficient ways to generate electricity from renewable resources like water or wind, which means that it doesn’t require any fossil fuels such as coal or natural gas for fuel. However, hydroelectric dams can cause environmental damage such as flooding and habitat loss for fish and other wildlife species that live near rivers or streams that are dammed during construction projects.