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Angela Zhang
Professor Eser
EGEE 101H
31 March 2015
Hydroelectricity
Hydroelectricity, a form of hydropower, is the generation of electricity by harnessing the
kinetic energy of water as it flows downstream ("Hydropower"). Traditionally used to do work
such as grinding grain, today three main systems are employed for harnessing the water's energy
including the run-of-the-river system, storage system, and pumped storage system ("Hydropower
Explained"). Hydroelectricity ultimately relies on solar energy as it depends on the natural water
cycle and is thus a renewable resource; advantages of this form of energy include providing ondemand energy and being cost-effective over a period of time. However it also possesses
disadvantages, including ecological disruptions as well as facing limited expansion opportunities
("Our Energy Sources, Hydroelectric").
Today a hydro plant converts kinetic energy to ultimately produce electrical energy
analogous to its use historically, where hydropower could grind grain by having flowing river
turns a water wheel and run a mill. Modern hydro plants operate on a similar principle and
typically contain three parts -- an electric plant for the production of electricity; a dam with water
flow controls; and a reservoir for water storage ("Hydropower"). The water flows from behind
the dam through a penstock (or a pipe) to push turbine blades that then spin an electricity
generator ("Hydropower Explained"). The amount of electricity produced depends on the amount
of water passing through as well as the height from which it falls ("Hydropower").

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Several systems expand upon this principle. The run-of-the-river system (or diversion)
uses the force of the current to turn the turbine blades. A storage system (or impoundment)
releases water in reservoirs created by dams to provide energy as needed. Finally, the pumped
storage system works much like a battery -- it stores electricity generated by other power
sources, pumping water uphill from a lower to a higher reservoir during low demand periods.
During high demand periods, water is released back to the lower reservoir to create a situation
such as that of a storage system (Types of Hydropower Plants").
Hydroelectricity provides several advantages. From systems such as storage systems and
the pumped storage system, it provides on-demand, readily available energy and can also be
adjusted by controlling the flow of water ("Hydropower"), whereas other renewable energy
sources are only intermittent; in addition, due to water's renewability, the system begins to pay
itself off after initial set up and becomes a relatively cheap way to generate energy. A hydro plant
also does not emit greenhouse gases (although constructing one does emit pollutants), making it
a more eco-friendly alternative in the long run("Our Energy Sources, Hydroelectric").
There are inherent shortcomings as well, for example the displacement of local
communities. Damming rivers also harms the local ecology, especially that of fish migration
patterns including salmon, which swim upstream ("Hydropower"). To counter this, new
technologies such as fish ladders help fish reach their mating grounds, although turbines also
pose a threat to them. In addition, the system is not completely greenhouse gas-free as carbon
dioxide and methane have the potential to form in reservoirs and disperse into the atmosphere
("Hydropower and the Environment").
In terms of future expansion of hydropower, its outlook appears small due to its negative
effects on the ecosystem as well as its dependence on adequate waterways, most of which are

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already under use or implemented ("Our Energy Sources, Hydroelectric"). Yet it does account for
a significant portion of renewable energy sources where in 2013, hydroelectricity accounted for
approximately 7 percent of electricity and 52 percent that of renewable resources in the United
States ("FAQ, National Hydropower Association"). Future prospects may expand by harnessing
energy from similar sources such as ocean currents, waves, and marine thermal gradients,
although due to its limitations it does not seem likely for hydropower to develop greatly as of
current ("Our Energy Sources, Hydroelectric").

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Works Cited
"FAQ, National Hydropower Association." NHA. National Hydropower Association, 2014. Web.
31 Mar. 2015.
"Hydropower and the Environment." EIA. US Department of Energy, 4 Nov. 2014. Web. 31 Mar.
2015.
"Hydropower Explained." EIA. US Department of Energy, 14 May 2014. Web. 31 Mar. 2015.
"Hydropower." National Geographic. National Geographic, 2015. Web. 31 Mar. 2015.
"Our Energy Sources, Hydroelectric." The National Academies. National Academy of Sciences,
2015. Web. 31 Mar. 2015.
"Types of Hydropower Plants." Energy.US Department of Energy, 2015. Web. 31 Mar. 2015.