HYDRO

What is hydro energy?

WHAT IS HYDRO ENERGY?
Hydro
power
stations
the energy
released
Hydro
energy
uses ause
natural
element,
water,
when
water
falls
due
to
gravity.
They
convert
to create power.
this energy into electricity.
How is electricity generated from
hydro energy?
HOW IS ELECTRICITY GENERATED FROM HYDRO
Hydro power schemes generate electricity
ENERGY?
water,
or hydro
energy.
They usually
Asfrom
water
falls from
the top
of a hydro
dam, it
haveupfour
mainThe
components:
dam,
penstock,
picks
speed.
kinetic energy
from
this fall
is power
used tostation
turn the
turbine
and drive the
and
trailrace.
generator of the power station. Hydro power
Dam (orusually
intake have
area):four
A dam
collects
large
schemes
main
components:
volumes
of water
for station
storageand
in atrailrace
reservoir.
dam,
penstock,
power
(or
spillway).
The higher the water level in a reservoir,
the more potential energy there is available
Dam
for generation in future. A generator can be
A used
dam holds
backwater
a large
volume
of water
and
to divert
from
nearby
streams,
stores it in a lake or reservoir. The higher the
rivers and lakes to fill the dam.
water level in a reservoir, the more potential
energy
is available
for electricity
Penstock:
A penstock
is the pipegeneration.
which carries
Water
may
also
be
diverted
from
nearby
water from the reservoir to the power station.
streams, rivers and lakes to fill the reservoir.
Power station: In a power station, a turbine
Penstock
and a generator convert water into electricity.
A When
penstock
is the
pipethe
through
which
the water
water
enters
turbine,
the force
and
falls
from
the
reservoir
to
the
power
station.
weight of the water turns the turbine blades.
This rotates the generator and produces
Power station
electricity. A hydro power scheme can have
In the power station, a turbine and a generator
more than
one power
station.
Tongariro
convert
the kinetic
energy
of theThe
water
into
Power Scheme
has two power
electricity.
The fast-flowing
waterstations.
hitting the
turbine blades turns the turbine, and this turns
Trailrace: A trailrace releases water from
the rotor of the generator, producing electricity.
the power station back into a river, stream,
A hydro power scheme may have more than one
or lake.
It is a for
channel
designed
to remove
power
station;
example,
the Tongariro
Power
surplushas
energy
from the
water and
Scheme
two power
stations,
one calm
at Rangipo
it down.
and
one at Tokaanu.

Trailrace (or spillway)

A How
trailrace
releases
from depends
the poweronstation
much
energywater
is created
back
stream
lake.and
It isthe
a channel
the into
rate aatriver,
which
wateror
flows
height
designed
to
slow
the
water
back
to
its
normal
it falls from. The greater the height and the
speed.
faster the flow of water, the more energy the
turbine
The
rate atblades
whichgenerate.
energy is generated depends
onWhat
the height
the water
andenergy?
the rate at
are thethat
advantages
offalls
hydro
which it flows through the power station. The
greater
height
the faster
theofflow,
the
Hydrothe
energy
is aand
renewable
form
power
greater
the
power
output.
generation and is a very effective method
of converting energy into electricity. Hydro
energy produces little or no greenhouse gas
emissions and the water is free.
What are the disadvantages of hydro energy?
Because hydro schemes use waterways to
generate energy, building and operating
these schemes can disrupt natural waterways
and aquatic eco-systems.
The effects of damming rivers both upstream
and downstream, e.g., the Clutha River and
the Wanganui River, have significant impacts.

HYDRO POWER SCHEME AT TOKAANU, NEW ZEALAND.

SOURCE: GENESIS ENERGY

When rainfall is limited, hydro generation is

affected. Continuity of supply is an issue with
WHAT
THE ADVANTAGES
OF cant
HYDRO
hydroARE
energy
which means we
be
ENERGY?
entirely reliant on it.
Hydro energy is a renewable form of electricity
How is hydro
used
in Newmethod
Zealand?
generation
andenergy
is a very
effective
of
converting mechanical energy into electricity.
Hydro energy generation is well established
Hydro energy produces few or no greenhouse
and
is the most
to produce
gas
emissions
andcommon
the waterway
is free.
electricity in New Zealand because of our
many waterways and mountains. In the
North Island, three hydro power schemes

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WHAT ARE THE DISADVANTAGES OF HYDRO

(Tongariro, Waikaremoana, and Kourarau)
ENERGY?
produce a total of 499MW of power
Because hydro schemes need dams on existing
annually. New Zealands total hydrolakes or rivers, land must be flooded for the
electricity capacity is approximately
dams to be built. This may mean farmland is lost
65% of the total power generation.
and people need to be put into new homes. It
may also cause disruption to animal, plant and
aquatic ecosystems.
When rainfall is limited, for example, during
periods of drought, hydro generation is reduced.
Continuity of supply may therefore be a
problem, which means we should not rely
entirely on hydro energy.
HOW IS HYDRO ENERGY USED IN NEW ZEALAND?
The generation of electricity from hydro energy is
well established in both the North and South
Islands of New Zealand. It is the most common
way to produce electricity in New Zealand
ACTIVITIES
because
of our many waterways and mountains.
In ACTIVITY
2009, New
Zealands total hydro capacity was
ONE
5400 MW: approximately 3500 MW in the South
Research
one MW
of the
or Island.
proposed
Island
and 1900
in current
the North
hydro power schemes in your region. What
are the costs line
andhas
benefi
ts or
advantages
A transmission
been
constructed
from
and
risks
of
the
scheme?
Consider
social,
Benmore, in the Mackenzie country, to Haywards,
economic,
environmental
and cultural
factors.
just
north of Wellington,
to transfer
energy
to the
North
Island.TWO
In 2009, hydro energy accounted for
ACTIVITY
57% of New Zealands electricity-generating
Selecting one of the following topics, write a
capacity.
brief newspaper article or letter to the editor:

ACTIVITIES
promote hydro energy genera tion, including

ACTIVITY
ONEts of this type of energy source
the benefi
Research
des crone
ibe wofa ythe
s incurrent
which horydproposed
ro energyhydro
ca n
power
schemes
in
your
region.
What
are
the
affect the environment
costs
exand
pla ibenefits
n why hyor
droadvantages
energy is thand
e mrisks
os t of the
scheme?
Consider
economic,
common
form social,
of energy
generation in
environmental
and
cultural
factors.
New Zealand.
ACTIVITY
THREE
ACTIVITY
TWO
BUILD Aone
MODEL
WIND
TURBINE
Selecting
of the
following
topics, write a
brief newspaper article or letter to the editor.
Divide the class into four groups. Assign
Promote hydro energy generation, including
the benefits
this typepower
of energy
source.
scheme
(dam,ofpenstock,
station,
and
trailrace).
groups
drawenergy
and label
DescribeHave
ways the
in which
hydro
can
their
component.
affect the environment.
Teacher display the components of the
Explain why hydro energy is the most common
hydro
power
scheme
together
on the
wall.
form of
energy
generation
in New
Zealand.
As a class, discuss how electricity is
generated
from hydro energy.
ACTIVITY
THREE
Design
yourFOUR
own hydro scheme
ACTIVITY
Divide
the class
into four groups. Assign each
RESEARCH
PROJECT
group a component of a hydro power scheme
What impact is climate change in New Zealand
(dam, penstock, power station or trailrace). Have
predicted to have on hydro energy generation?
the groups draw and label their component.
The teacher displays the components of the
hydro power scheme together on the wall. As a
class, discuss how electricity is generated from
hydro energy.
ACTIVITY FOUR
Research project
What impact is climate change in New Zealand
predicted to have on hydro energy generation?

SUPPORTING RESOURCES
- Energy Efficiency a nd Cons erva tion Authority: www. eeca . govt. nz
- Minis try of Economic Development: www. med. govt. nz
- Genes is Energy: www.genesisenergy.co.nz