Renewable Hydroelectricity
By: Michael Brannon and Anthony Nguyen
Outline:Advantages/DisadvantagesHow it worksWhere to find Hydro powerProduction timeEnergy Provided EfficiencyWaste ProducedCostThe Hoover DamConclusion
Advantages:Creates no pollutionOnce dam is built it lasts foreverVery reliableCan generate constant electricity(unlike
solar/wind) Can also double as a dam to hold back and
control waterCosts to build can be split because of
electricity production and it will control waterRequires very little maintenance
Disadvantages: Finding a good site to build is difficultImpacts nearby plants and treesAlso impacts fish and animals (fish ladders
are put in place to help fish get back upstream)
Sometimes building a damn will cause water stoppage up stream and flood nearby
How it works…Dam traps water Water is released and flows through tunnels
that power turbinesTurbines drive generatorsEnergy is then put through power lines, and
distributed to usProduces a lot of energy quickly and cheaply.
(Amount of energy depends on size of turbine/plant.)
How Hydroelectricity Works:
Where to findCan be found in rivers, streams and lakes,
any source of constant flowing water
Production TimeInstantly produces energy, as soon as
turbines spin
Turbine
Energy ProvidedProvides 7.1% of the USA’s electricityProvides 20% of the worlds electricity
Efficiency Hydroelectric plants on average are 81%
efficient
Waste ProducedProduces no waste and no pollutionAlthough it does impact fish and animals
habitat
CostIt cost $165,000,000 to build the Hoover DamHydroelectric costs about .50 cents per
kilowatt. (Less than standard power.)The larger the hydroelectric plant, the
cheaper the cost to youHydroelectric plants are cheaper to build
than nuclear power plants, but it is hard to find a location to build one, so they are less common
The Hoover Dam: The Hoover Dam is the
worlds largest dam. Built in 1936 38TH largest hydroelectricity
plant in the world Has 17 generators, each
makes 133 megawatts, for a total of 2,074 megawatts(230,000 volts)
L.A. gets 15.4229% of the electricity generated at the Hoover Dam
Overall CA gets 28.5393% of the electricity generated at the Hoover Dam
Parts of a Hydroelectric Plant:
Penstock
Turbine
Transformer
Water Flow
Spillway
Step up Transformers
Transmission Lines
GeneratorTurbine
ShaftPenstock
Turbine Blades
Water Flow
Power Goes to You.
Conclusion:Hydroelectricity creates no pollution and is
very reliableSometimes it is hard to find a good site to
build on.Requires the constant flow of waterIs 81% efficientCosts about .50 cents per kilowattThe Hoover Dam is the worlds largest dam,
provides 15.4229% of LA’s electricity