HYDROELECTRIC ENERGY

JASPER VINCENT V. VIBAL

GROUP 4
Hydropower is the backbone of low-carbon electricity
generation, providing almost half of it worldwide
today. Hydropower’s contribution is 55% higher than nuclear’s
and larger than that of all other renewables combined, including
wind, solar PV, bioenergy and geothermal. In 2020, hydropower
supplied 17% of global electricity generation, the third ‑largest
source after coal and natural gas. Over the last 20 years,
hydropower’s total capacity rose 70% globally, but its share of
total generation stayed stable due to the growth of wind, solar
PV, coal and natural gas.
Hydropower supplies one sixth of the
world's electricity, almost 4500 TWh in
2020, which is more than all other
renewable sources combined and also more
than nuclear power.[3] Hydropower can
provide large amounts of
low-carbon electricity on demand, making it
a key element for creating secure and clean
electricity supply systems.[3] A hydroelectric
power station that has a dam and reservoir
is a flexible
source, since the amount of electricity produced can
be increased or decreased in seconds or minutes in
response to varying electricity demand. Once a
hydroelectric complex is constructed, it produces no
direct waste, and almost always emits considerably
less greenhouse gas than fossil fuel-powered energy
plants.[4] However, when constructed in lowland
rainforest areas, where part of the forest is
inundated, substantial amounts of greenhouse gases
may be emitted.
Construction of a hydroelectric
complex can have significant
environmental impact, principally in
loss of arable land and population
displacement. They also disrupt the
natural ecology of the river involved,
affecting habitats and ecosystems,
and siltation and erosion patterns.
While dams can ameliorate the risks
of flooding, dam failure can be
catastrophic.
In 2021, global installed hydropower electrical
capacity reached almost 1400 GW, the highest
among all renewable energy technologies.[5]
Hydroelectricity plays a leading role in
countries like Brazil, Norway and China.[6] but
there are geographical limits and environmental
issues.[7] Tidal power can be used in coastal
regions.
Hydropower has been used since ancient times to grind
flour and perform other tasks. In the late 18th century
hydraulic power provided the energy source needed for
the start of the Industrial Revolution. In the mid-1770s,
French engineer Bernard Forest de Bélidor
published Architecture Hydraulique, which described
vertical- and horizontal-axis hydraulic machines, and in
1771 Richard Arkwright’s combination of water power,
the water frame, and continuous production played a
significant part in the development of the factory system,
with modern employment practices.[9]
In the 1840s the hydraulic power network was
developed to generate and transmit hydro power to
end users.
By the late 19th century, the electrical generator was
developed and could now be coupled with hydraulics.
[10]
The growing demand arising from the
Industrial Revolution would drive development as well.
[11]
In 1878, the world's first hydroelectric power
scheme was developed at Cragside in
Northumberland, England, by William Armstrong.
It was used to power a single arc lamp in his art gallery.
[12]
The old Schoelkopf Power Station No. 1, US, near
Niagara Falls, began to produce electricity in 1881. The
first Edison hydroelectric power station, the
Vulcan Street Plant, began operating September 30,
1882, in Appleton, Wisconsin, with an output of about
12.5 kilowatts.[13] By 1886 there were 45 hydroelectric
power stations in the United States and Canada; and by
1889 there were 200 in the United States alone.
Thank you and God Bless! 