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Hydroelectric power is produced with moving water At hydropower plants water flows through a pipe, or penstock, then pushes against and turns blades in a turbine to spin a generator to produce electricity. Run-of-the-river systems, where the force of the river's current applies pressure on a turbine.
Hydroelectric power (hydropower) is a renewable energy source where electrical power is derived from the energy of water moving from higher to lower elevations. It is a proven, mature, predictable, and price-competitive technology. Hydropower has among the best conversion efficiencies of all known energy sources (about 90% efficiency, water to wire). It requires relatively high initial investment, but has a long life span with very low operation and maintenance costs. The existing hydropower system has an annual generation capacity of 4100 TWh a?1 and contributes to almost 17% of the annual electricity generation, worldwide. There is still a large potential for further development, as the total technical potential has been estimated to be roughly 16,000 TWh. Out of this, about 9600 TWh has been classified as economical potential. In Europe, close to 50% of technical potential has already been developed, while in Asia 24% and in Africa only 6%. Significant potential can also be found in existing infrastructure that currently lacks generating units (e.g., existing barrages, weirs, dams, canal fall structures, water supply schemes) by adding new hydropower facilities. Only 25% of the existing 45,000 large dams in the world are currently used for hydropower, and the other 75% are used exclusively for other purposes (e.g., irrigation, flood control, navigation, and urban water supply schemes). Hydropower offers significant potential for carbon emissions reductions, as greenhouse gas emissions are generally very low, typically less than 1% of that from coal power plants.
Hydroelectricity is an important component of renewable energy systems. Small hydro systems up to a few MW of unit sizes are eco-friendly and installed in large numbers all over the world both under grid fed and off-grid modes. Earth is endowed with enormous water power distributed in almost all regions mainly as mountain based and flowing rivers. Suitable redirecting of water through proper construction is essential. Hydro systems broadly comprise hydroturbines and generators with associated civil works and controls to feed quality power to consumers. This chapter explained different turbines classified under impulse and reaction type. A pump can also be operated as a turbine in reverse power mode. Both synchronous and induction generators can be employed to convert turbine power to electricity. Grid fed systems use both these types while induction generators are preferred for off-grid use. Appropriate electronic controllers must be developed for each application.
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