HYDROELECTRIC+POWER+-+Jordan


 * ASSESSMENT**

Hydroelectric Power Jordan Doddridge 11AC

Hydroelectric power is basically the production of electrical power by using the gravitational force of flowing/falling water. A dam is built to contain water, usually in a valley where there is already lake. Water is allowed to flow through tunnels in the dam, to turn turbines and thus, causing it to drive generators. Hydro-electric power stations can produce a lot of power very cheaply.



On the economic side of this production of electricity, its extremely useful for this process eliminates the cost of fuel, oil, coal and imports. They also last an extremely long time, meaning that you rarely need to replace the hydroelectric plants. Hydroelectric plants are extremely helpful on the ecology side of things. They do not burn fossil fuels, and don't directly produce carbon dioxide. Through the whole process of providing hydroelectric power, it produces the least amount of greenhouses gasses of any energy source. This is because it relies on a renewable source, water. But only is it a renewable source when enough rain falls so that the water can turn the turbines in the dam. Thus showing that electricity can be run by not using a non renewable furl like coal.

The Three Gourges Dam

There may be a lot of advantages to hydroelectric power, but there are also some disadvantages. The main one being ecosystem damage and loss of land. You need a lot of space to be able to build a hydroelectric dam, thus causing loss of valleys, grasslands, forests and rich, productive land. It can also cause habitat fragmentation of surrounding areas. Another main disadvantage is the failure of the dam. These dams can last up to about 100 years, but over that period of time, they are bound to have a few issues. Because the hydroelectric dams have to contain a large volume of water, bad construction or just too much pressure can have a massive affect on it's sorrounding areas. For example, in southern China, there was a hydroelectric dam, Banqiao Dam. From poor construction, the dam collapsed, directly causing 26,000 deaths and 145,000 injuries. The Banqiao Dam was created in a geologically inappropriate location, causing a catastrophic disaster. The dam was built in April 1951 on the Ru River to give power to the local towns. But the dam finally gave way in 1975 after massive amounts of rain, a typhoon and poor construction took affect.

Banqiao dam after the failure

To make electricity through hydroelectric power, water is held in a reservoir, behind the dam. The water near the control gates is where the intake happens, and when the control gates open, the water rushes through big pipes which leads to the turbines, thus making the turbines spin. After that process, the water goes through the outflow into the river. The turbine spins the generator, and the electricity goes to the transformer in the powerhouse. Then the transformer transfers the energy/electricity into a usable form.

(picture from wikipedia showing the ten largest producers of hydroelectricity in 2009) (picture from wikipedia showing how much energy is produced through different types of energy produces)