![]() The operation of a generator is based on the principles discovered by Faraday. A hydroelectric generator converts this mechanical energy into electricity. "A hydraulic turbine converts the energy of flowing water into mechanical energy. By the way, it is not a good idea to be playing in the water right below a dam when water is released!Ī turbine and generator produce the electricityĭiagram of a hydroelectric turbine and generator.Īs to how this generator works, the Corps of Engineers explains it this way: The water continues past the propellor through the tailrace into the river past the dam. Power lines are connected to the generator that carry electricity to your home and mine. The shaft from the turbine goes up into the generator, which produces the power. At the end of the penstock there is a turbine propellor, which is turned by the moving water. Gravity causes it to fall through the penstock inside the dam. Near the bottom of the dam wall there is the water intake. The dam stores lots of water behind it in the reservoir. The theory is to build a dam on a large river that has a large drop in elevation (there are not many hydroelectric plants in Kansas or Florida). Take a look at this diagram (courtesy of the Tennessee Valley Authority) of a hydroelectric power plant to see the details: A coal-fired power plant uses steam to turn the turbine blades whereas a hydroelectric plant uses falling water to turn the turbine. In both cases a power source is used to turn a propeller-like piece called a turbine, which then turns a metal shaft in an electric generator, which is the motor that produces electricity. So just how do we get electricity from water? Actually, hydroelectric and coal-fired power plants produce electricity in a similar way. ![]() Visit Media to see details.įalling water produces hydroelectric power. The dam is 2,335 meters (7,660 feet) long and 185 meters (607 feet) tall, and has enough generators to produce 22,500 megawatts of power.Sources/Usage: Some content may have restrictions. The Three Gorges Dam in China, which holds back the Yangtze River, is the largest hydroelectric dam in the world, in terms of electricity production. What Is the Largest Hydroelectric Power Plant in the World? Approximately 71 percent of all of the renewable electricity generated on Earth is from hydropower. Other top producers of hydropower around the world include the United States, Brazil, Canada, India, and Russia. China is the largest producer of hydroelectricity. Hydroelectric energy is the most commonly-used renewable source of electricity. ![]() How Widely Is Hydroelectric Energy Used Around the World? As this water flows back down to the lower reservoir, it turns a turbine to generate more electricity. When there is high demand for electricity, water located in the higher pool is released. The plant stores energy by pumping water uphill from a pool at a lower elevation to a reservoir located at a higher elevation. This plant collects the energy produced from solar, wind, and nuclear power and stores it for future use. The third type of plant is called a pumped-storage facility. Instead, it uses a series of canals to channel flowing river water toward the generator-powering turbines. This type of plant is unique because it does not use a dam. As the blades of the turbine spin, they power a generator.Īnother type of hydroelectric energy plant is a diversion facility. Once water is released, gravity takes over and the water flows downward through a turbine. When more energy is needed, water is released from the dam. In an impoundment facility, a dam is used to control the flow of water stored in a pool or reservoir. There are three different types of hydroelectric energy plants, the most common being an impoundment facility. The water can be used to turn the blades of a turbine to generate electricity, which is distributed to the power plant’s customers. The potential energy is converted into kinetic energy as water flows downhill. Water gains potential energy just before it spills over the top of a dam or flows down a hill. Most hydroelectric power plants have a reservoir of water, a gate or valve to control how much water flows out of the reservoir, and an outlet or place where the water ends up after flowing downward. Over two thousand years ago, people in Greece used flowing water to turn the wheel of their mill to ground wheat into flour. People have used this force for millennia. Hydroelectric energy, also called hydroelectric power or hydroelectricity, is a form of energy that harnesses the power of water in motion-such as water flowing over a waterfall-to generate electricity.
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