The Power of Hydro Electricity

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For this blog post, I chose to present information on Hydroelectric Power. It’s one of the oldest forms of renewable energy, which began use in 1950.

Hydroelectric power’s source of power is water and plants are usually located on or near a water source. The volume of the water flow and the change or fall in elevation is often referred to as head. The head from one point to another determines the amount of available energy in moving water. The greater the water flow and the higher the head, the more electricity a hydropower plant can produce.

There are about 1,450 conventional and 40 pumped-storage hydropower plants operating in the United States. The average lifespan of a hydropower facility is 100 years.

In 2021, hydroelectricity accounted for about 6.3% of total U.S. utility-scale electricity generation and 31.5% of total utility-scale renewable electricity generation.

Hydroelectric energy is sustainable because it relies on and uses the environment, benefits society, and can benefit the economy. It’s an affordable form of renewable energy that is more affordable than other renewable energy sources. Another reason why it’s sustainable is it’s been used for a long time.

https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/hydropower/https://

www.energy.gov/eere/water/hydropower-basicshttps://

www.nrel.gov/docs/fy04osti/34916.pdf

 

80 thoughts on “The Power of Hydro Electricity”

  1. I was surprised to learn that there are only 1,450 conventional hydropower plants in the United States, I would have assumed that there would be much more. Also, in terms of sustainability, the year 1950 seems pretty recent, so I was shocked to learn that it is one of the oldest forms of renewable energy.

  2. I was surprised to read that hydroelectricity only accounted for ~6.3% of total U.S. utility scale electric generation. I would have expected a greater number given how reliable and accessible this resource is.