Mini Hydroelectric Plant

ME Laboratory 3
 Introduction
• Hydropower is energy from water sources such as the ocean, rivers
and waterfalls. “Mini Hydro” can apply to sites ranging from a tiny
scheme to electrify a single home, to a few hundred kilowatts for selling
into the National Grid. Small-scale hydropower is one of the most cost-
effective and reliable energy technologies to be considered for
providing clean electricity generation.
The World's First Hydroelectric Power Plant

The dam across Fox River in Appleton, Wisconsin, the site of the first
hydroelectric power plant in the world
 Small hydropower (SHP)
schemes
Pico, micro and mini, hydro power plants are small-scale electricity
production plants. In most cases, no dam or reservoir storage is involved in
these schemes and mainly use running of rivers.
Hydropower to Electric Power

Electric
Potential
al
Energy
Electricity

Kinetic
Energy

Mechanic
al
How Hydropower Works

 Water from the reservoir flows due to gravity to drive the turbine.
 Turbine is connected to a generator.
 Power generated is transmitted over power lines.
How Hydropower Works

A water turbine that cover the

energy of flowing or falling water
into mechanical energy that drives a
generator, which generates electrical
power. This is a heart of hydropower
power plant.
Sizes of Hydropower Plants

www.renewablesfirst.com
Pros

 Economic energy source.

 No reservoir required.
 Utilize natural flow of water.
 No harmful effect in the surrounding.
 No costly equipment used.
Cons

 It can destroy natural habitats.

 It can cause flooding.
 It offers limited use.
 It requires high installation costs.
Existing Plants
Existing Plants
Existing Plants
CONCLUSION
 Hydropower is considered a renewable energy resource because it uses the Earth's water
cycle to generate electricity. The production of electrical power through the use of the
gravitational force of falling or flowing water.
 The cost of hydroelectricity is relatively low, making it a competitive source of
renewable electricity.
 A small or micro-hydroelectric power system can produce enough electricity for a home,
farm, or ranch.
END