By, Julia Forbes, Case Liga, Alex Tinter, and Olivia Laxton

About hydroelectric power This energy source is renewable, because it is made by the power in moving water. For an example, water is stopped by a dam and when the dam is released, the water spins a turbine converting kinetic energy into electric energy.

History The Greeks discovered hydroelectric power about 2,000 years ago. In the early 1900’s, people used hydroelectric power for milling and pumping. By 1940, hydroelectricity was 75% of the energy consumed. Over the years, it has declined to about 10%. In 1878, the world’s first hydroelectric power machine was developed by William George Armstrong.

Where is it found? Hydroelectric power is electricity generated using the energy of moving water. In other words, it is found in water. It is recovered in snow, rain, and rivers that eventually run into the ocean. Hydropower is the cheapest way to generate electricity. It is also readily available and engineers can control the flow of water through the turbines to produce electricity on command.

How is it stored? It is stored as waiting for a command. For example, it is stored on top of a dam ready for peaks in demand. It is stored in turbines. We get hydroelectric power from water. We make it usable by putting the water into a turbine.

How is hydroelectricity power used today? Hydroelectric power is 1/5 of the world’s electricity. We are using less hydroelectric power than in In 2009, we used 2.5% and now we are using.5%. It is used in turbines and dams. The dams build up water by holding the water at the top of a waterfall. When the water is released the water pushed through a turbine and creates electricity for homes.

Pros/cons Pros: 1.Inexhaustible fuel source 2.Minimal environmental impact 3.Viable source 4.Can be used throughout the world Cons: 1. Smaller models depend on availability for fast flowing streams or rivers. 2. Run-of-the-river plants can impact the mobility of fish and other river life. 3. Dams are EXTREMELY expensive to build. 4. The flooding of large areas of land means that environment is short.

The Future for Hydropower The future for hydropower’s outlook is alright. Building dams have become more complicated because of the rapid climate change. Since hydropower is an environmental friendly source of energy, scientists are trying to make it easier for the future.

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