2. Table of Contents An Introduction To Hydroelectric Power By Scott Templeman
3. Introduction Energy: the ability to do work Human civilization has harnessed and utilized energy at an exponential rate This is troubling, as society demands more and more energy, while conventional energy becomes less and less available Digestion (Chemical Energy) Combustion (Chemical Energy) Wind (Mechanical Energy) Electricity Unfortunately, most energy sources are gone forever after use. An Introduction To Hydroelectric Power By Scott Templeman
10. Alternative vs. Renewable Changes with society Energy generated from alternatives to the primary energy source (currently fossil fuels) No implication of pollution! Energy that can replaced rapidly by natural processes Static definition An Introduction To Hydroelectric Power By Scott Templeman
14. There is always a form of pollution when harnessing energyAn Introduction To Hydroelectric Power By Scott Templeman
15. Hydropower History Hydropower was one of the first “modern” renewable utilized by humanity, when water wheels were discovered (~4,000 B.C.) For almost 6,000 years engineers have innovated and adapted the water wheel to better suit their needs, or increase efficiency. All these wheels shared the same basic principle: They transferred: Kinetic energy to Mechanical energy in order to perform work An Introduction To Hydroelectric Power By Scott Templeman
16. Hydroelectric is born Copper Disc Magnet Rotation It wasn’t until 1831 that a new way to harness hydropower would become possible. It was in 1831, when Michael Faraday discovered the homopolar generator, now commonly known as dynamos. Binding Screws (to capture current) Electricity Hydropower could easily adapted for the repetitive work necessary to generate a steady stream of current from Faraday’s generators However, it was another 50 years, before efficiency improvements were made to Faraday’s design in order for hydroelectricity to become practical An Introduction To Hydroelectric Power By Scott Templeman
17. Hydroelectricity in Infancy By 1890, there were over 200 plants in the United States and Canada Niagara Falls was one of the first hydroelectric plants, powering street lamps An Introduction To Hydroelectric Power By Scott Templeman
18. Hydroelectricity in Growth IN 1940 1907 1936 Hydroelectricity accounted for 15% of all electricity in the United States This figure grew to 40% The Hoover Dam was completed, as the largest hydroelectric plant in it’s time (It is currently the 35th largest hydroelectric plant, over 70 years later!) An Introduction To Hydroelectric Power By Scott Templeman
19. The Hydrological Cycle Gravity Heat Solar So… If energy can’t be created or destroyed… Where does the power come from for hydroelectricity? Kinetic Where’s the energy you ask? An Introduction To Hydroelectric Power By Scott Templeman
20. The Hydrological Cycle Electric Kinetic An Introduction To Hydroelectric Power By Scott Templeman
21. Costs After the dam is built and the power plant is installed, Hydroelectric can outcompete all other renewable energies in cost. This is because that hydroelectric plants have very low operating and maintenance costs. As you can see, hydroelectric is extremely competitive in cost (and easily has the best cost to renewability ratio) Furthermore, a hydroelectric plant has a service life of about 100 years, making it a smart investment. An Introduction To Hydroelectric Power By Scott Templeman
22. Hydroelectric Today Environmentalists In 2006, Hydroelectric power accounted for 2/3 of the world’s renewable energy, which was 19% of it’s electricity Yet the steep drop in Hydroelectric power in 2007 has another key reason: 2006 was a record year for water availability (rain) An Introduction To Hydroelectric Power By Scott Templeman
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25. While water is indefinitely renewable, it is not a constant/reliable source. There will be times when water availability is beyond capacity to be harnessed, and times when there is not enough to supply electricity demand. Running a business that is dependant upon constant/predictable weather conditions is inherently high-risk.
26. Many of the best rivers for damming have already been dammed, hydroelectric is best suited for large-scale plants. An Introduction To Hydroelectric Power By Scott Templeman
27. Current Trends As we saw in the previous slides, despite it’s many advantages hydroelectric dams have been getting shut down primarily due to environmental lobbying. However, this was also during a period of cheap energy. Now that energy prices have jumped, we will likely see less hydroelectric dams being shut down. Most environmentalists will agree that hydroelectric still beats fossil fuels or nuclear plants. Most economists will agree that consumers will purchase the product that offers them the most value for their money. Hydroelectric is still the best value renewable energy for the foreseeable future. Furthermore, energy use continued to climb in 2007, despite less hydroelectric power being used. Renewable energy use decreased for the first time in five years. An Introduction To Hydroelectric Power By Scott Templeman
28. Conclusion Hydroelectric power was one of the first renewable sources of energy, and therefore the most developed currently. Overtime other renewable sources of energy will develop and become competitive, offering a wider variety of affordable renewable energy. Hydroelectric’s market growth in the United States seems to have reached a plateau and is unlikely to see significant growth in the future. For sources, please refer to the writing sample! An Introduction To Hydroelectric Power By Scott Templeman
