Hydroelectric
Definition
The production of power through use of the gravitational force of falling or flowing water
History
Most of the hydroelectricity that has and will be produced is made from hydroelectric dams and water wheels. The first water wheel was made in 200 BC. The first water wheel made to produce electrical energy was created in 1882 in the United States of America. The most famous Hydroelectric Dam is the Hoover Dam, which is so large it can be seen from space.
Recent Hydroelectric power
Hydroelectric power is responsible for 20% of the worlds energy and 69% of the renuable energy we make. Recently many new kinds of Hydropower have been created and used. Some of the new hydropower devices include the tidal stream generator and the sea snake. The tidal stream Generator is similar to a wind mill but instead of using the wind to spin the turbines, it uses the tidal streams in the water which are constant. The Sea snake is a series of tubes that rides on the surface of a large body of water. They are halfway filled with water and when a wave hits the snake it creates a minerature wave inside of the snake. the wave turns a series of turbines inside of the snake which produce the energy
Examples of Hydro Electricy
| Energy is harnessed through the power of water blocked up by the Hover Dam. | Energy is used from waves in the water to create waves in the Pelamis which turn turbines to create energy. | Huge turbines that are underwater are turned by the flowing of the tide waters and create energy. |
