Hydropower

This form of renewable energy is procured from flowing water. Approximately 2,000 years ago, ancient greek people utilized the power of water to run wheels to grind their grain. In the present day, generating power from water is one of the most efficient and cost-effective ways to generate electricity and is often preferred in locations where harvesting water power is possible.

Currently, the largest hydropower plant in the world is called the 22.5 gigawatts Three Gorges Dam, which is found in China. The power that the Three Gorges Dam produces can supply more than 70 million households.

Apart from big hydropower plants, smaller micropower projects can still make a significant difference to those villages and communities in remote regions.

The principle of harvesting hydropower is to use water flow to drive turbines—there are basic configurations to hydropower plants: those plants with dams or reservoirs and those without them. Hydropower plants with huge reservoirs can keep water over either short periods or long periods to meet the demands when it reaches the peak. The facilities of huge plants can also be divided into smaller reservoirs or dams for various purposes.