Hydroelectricity Essay

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Hydroelectricity is a known renewable energy resource that provides substantial benefits for our wealth, our health, and for our global economy. There are five types of renewable energy we can use on a daily basis throughout our lives, but the most widely installed form of renewable energy is hydroelectricity. Hydroelectricity is electricity created by converting the kinetic energy of flowing water. Best thing about this source of energy is that it’s timeless and renewable, which means it will never run out, however we had to figure ways to store this energy. In order for them to harness this energy for other people, they had to build generators that convert all the potential energy of rapid moving water into electrical energy. (http://www.ems.psu.edu/~elsworth/courses/cause2003/finalprojects/vikingpaper.pdf)

Hydroelectric power seizes the buoyancy released from descending water. Two thousand years ago, Ancient Greeks utilized wooden water wheels to convert kinetic energy into mechanical energy because that’s all they had back then. However, in 1882, the first hydroelectric power plant was constructed in the United States using a fast flowing river. During that time, humans began to build dams to reserve water at the most suitable places or areas in order to best apply the power capacity. Engineering and structural changes have been increased in designing a more efficient hydroelectric power plant, but in order for that to happen they had to go through a very difficult process which can cause much conflict. (http://www.ems.psu.edu/~elsworth/courses/cause2003/finalprojects/vikingpaper.pdf)

Hydroelectric power plants can be classified in the four different size ranges: micro, mini, small, and large. The smallest hydroelectric...

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... capacity. In some jurisdictions, there are few hydro projects that are not consider to be sustainable energy sources because of human and environmental effects, but depending on the sustainability used. (Lamb)

Hydroelectricity is a renewable source that can be used for years and cam be expanded in many different ways. It also can produce energy from running water without reducing its quantity and can be utilized with other renewable sources that promote energy. Hydroelectricity contributes to the storing of drinking water by collecting rain water, which can then be used for irrigation; however it can also improve the air you breathe because it doesn’t release any toxins or pollutants. For a century, hydroelectricity has made long term improvements environmentally and can continue to do so for many years to come because of how affordable this technology is. (Lamb)

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