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Objective
The project describes how electricity is generated from water, the types of hydroelectric
plants, and the costs and benefits associated with hydropower.
Background
Since the time of ancient Egypt, people have used the energy in flowing water to operate
machinery and grind grain and corn. However, hydropower had a greater influence on
people's lives during the 20th century than at any other time in history. Hydropower
played a major role in making the wonders of electricity a part of everyday life and
helped spur industrial development. Hydropower continues to produce 24 percent of the
world's electricity and supply more than 1 billion people with power.
Evolution of Hydropower
The first hydroelectric power plant was built in 1882 in Appleton, Wisconsin to provide
12.5 kilowatts of electricity to light two paper mills and a home. Today's
hydropower plants generally produce several hundred kilowatts to several
hundred megawatts of electricity, but a few mammoth plants have capacities up to
10,000 megawatts. These hydroelectric power plants can supply electricity to
millions of people.
Worldwide, hydropower plants have a combined capacity of 675,000 megawatts and
annually produce over 2.3 trillion kilowatt-hours of electricity, the energy equivalent of
3.6 billion barrels of oil.
Obstacles
Hydropower plants can significantly impact the surrounding area—reservoirs can cover
towns, scenic locations and farmland, as well as affect fish and wildlife habitat. To
mitigate impact on migration patterns and wildlife habitats, dams maintain a steady
stream flow and can be designed or retrofitted with fish ladders and fishways to help fish
migrate upstream to spawn. However, there are still other risks with the introduction of
dams into the river systems. By introducing new water conditions such as a reservoir or a
dam, a well-oxygenated river can turn into an anoxic lake (being devoid of oxygen).
Also, the water stored behind dams tends to accumulate sediment and silt. This
accumulation can hinder the water flow and cause harm to the turbines and pumps. As an
example, after only four years of operation, the Sanmen George Dam on the Yellow
River, China lost 41% of its water storage capacity and 75% of its maximum power
capacity due to sedimentation.