The Dynamics of Hydropower: Hydropower: Eco20/20

The Dynamics of Hydropower

Hydropower is a renewable energy source generated from the force of moving water. Mechanical energy is created from water which is forced through piping. This tried and true energy source has been used for centuries. The Energy Information Administration (EIA) reports that about 73 percent of all renewable energy in the country is derived from hydropower. What makes this source of energy so dynamic that its use has survived for so long and is being used so much today?

Hydropower History Lesson

The history of hydropower goes back over 2,000 years ago to the use of water wheels by the Greeks to grind wheat for flour. In the 1800's factories in America and Europe used the same principle of the water wheel to power machines. The first hydroelectric plant was built in 1879 in Niagara Falls; a logical location since hydropower is optimized in areas with natural waterfalls. Dams, which are manmade waterfalls, were also developed all over the country to produce power from moving water. Hydropower reached its height in the 1940's, providing 33 percent of America's energy during that time. In the late 1940's when fossil fuels proved to be more inexpensive to create electricity, there was a slight drop in the use of hydropower. It experienced a major resurgence in the 1970's during the oil crisis. Today, hydropower is used even more as the need for green energy has increased.

How Hydropower is a Renewable Energy Source

As long as the continuous natural cycle of water continues, hydropower will be a renewable source of energy. The sun's energy evaporates water in the oceans and rivers on the earth. This water turns into water vapor which is drawn up into atmosphere by the energy of the sun. This vapor forms clouds when it is condensed and falls back to the earth in the form of rain or snow; which replenishes the oceans and rivers. The force of gravity causes the water to move from high to low ground. The force of this movement is a powerful energy source, providing renewable energy for the earth.

What's in the Future for Hydropower?

Though hydropower is an energy source that is non-polluting there has been concern about the environmental impacts caused by the construction of new facilities. The reason is that most efficient areas for these plants are in mountains and protected areas where ecosystems are most fragile. New technology holds promise of upgrades to existing plants that create green energy without further construction. In addition, there are approximately 80,000 dams in the United States with only 2,400 being used. New hydropower projects in the future will make use of these unused dams to avoid the construction of new power plants.

The use of hydropower is not limited to the United States. Itaipu Dam located in South America is the largest dam in the world. The dam was constructed during the years 1975 to 1991. The completed dam is 26,000 feet long and 643 feet tall, which is the height of a 65 story building. It generates the energy of 10 nuclear power plants or more. In the year 2000, the Itaipu dam provided 20 percent of the energy to Brazil and 94 percent to Paraguay. This information about just this one dam provides a perspective of how truly dynamic hydropower is as a renewable source of energy around the world.

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