HYDROPOWER
Clean Renewable Reliable
What is Hydropower and how does it work
This is how hydropower works. First you build a dam and the dam stores water behind the reservoir. Gravity causes the water to fall through the penstock and at the end of the penstock there is a turbine propeller. The propeller is turned by the water and goes through a shaft from the turbine and goes up into a generator. After power lines are connected to the generator and that carry's electricity to your home.
This is how hydropower works
This is what a genorater looks like
This is a real dam
Advantages and disadvantages of hydropower
Hydropower contains no greenhouse gas or air pollution and is environmentally friendly. Hydropower also has high efficiency and is stable and reliable.
DISADVANTAGES
Large power plants can lead to
major environmental damage and can disrupt the natural flow of waters. Also hydropower can cause earthquakes, erosion, landslides and major flooding. Hydropower generating stations can damage the environment. Water turbines kill 50% of fish that swim through the turbine and it also takes takes away space for ideal spawning points for fish. The pressure of the the turbines pull fish into them.
Why are alternative sources important
FUN FACTS
The worlds largest dam is located in China and is OVER 60 stories high and 2km wide. It also gives 6000 killawats and the dam is called THE GORGES DAM.
Did you know.....
There is a dam being built in China and construction started in 2005 and will be finished by 2015. Also the maximum capacity is 12600 MEGAWATTS
and is twice the size of THE GORGES DAM. It is going to be called THE XILUODU DAM.
Websites for you to visit
VIDEOS: short film on hydropower for kids
Kids model hydropower
Hydroelectricity documentary