Sunday, July 25, 2010

Hydroelectric power plants

Let us learn about "Hydroelectric power plants"

Hydroelectric power plants capture the energy of falling water to generate electricity.

A turbine converts the kinetic energy of falling water into mechanical energy. Then a generator converts the mechanical energy from the turbine into electrical energy.
Hydro plants range in size from "micro-hydros" that power only a few homes to huge schemes like the Snowy River System that provide electricity for millions of people.

Advantages to hydroelectric power:

  • Fuel is not burned so there is minimal pollution
  • Water to run the power plant is provided free by nature
  • Hydropower plays a major role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions
  • Relatively low operations and maintenance costs
  • The technology is reliable and proven over time
  • It's renewable - rainfall renews the water in the reservoir, so the fuel is almost always there

There are three types of hydropower facilities: impoundment, diversion, and pumped storage. Some hydropower plants use dams and some do not.


In our next blog we shall learn about "chromosome structure"

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