Hydroelectric power is what kind of energy source

Dammed reservoirs can also help with flood control, be a reliable water supply, and may be used for recreational purposes. However, there are many concerns with hydropower, particularly large dam facilities.

Damming a river has a significant impact on the regional ecosystem, by flooding upstream landscapes, distrupting habitats for wildlife, blocking fish passages, and often displacing local communities. In addition, dam failures can be catastrophic, further disrupting landscapes and claiming the lives of those living downstream 1. Finally, hydroplants are not completely free of greenhouse gas emissions.

As with most forms of energy, carbon dioxide emissions occur during construction, particularly as a result of the large quantities of cement used, and loss of vegetation in flooded areas creates methane, another greenhouse gas, as it matter decays underwater.

International Energy Agency. Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate. Center for Climate and Energy Solutions. National Renewable Energy Laboratory. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews. Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. Union of Concerned Scientists. Environmental Protection Agency. Business Wire. In a large generator, electromagnets are made by circulating direct current through loops of wire wound around stacks of magnetic steel laminations.

These are called field poles, and are mounted on the perimeter of the rotor. The rotor is attached to the turbine shaft, and rotates at a fixed speed. When the rotor turns, it causes the field poles the electromagnets to move past the conductors mounted in the stator. This, in turn, causes electricity to flow and a voltage to develop at the generator output terminals. Demand for electricity is not "flat" and constant.

Demand goes up and down during the day, and overnight there is less need for electricity in homes, businesses, and other facilities.

For example, here in Atlanta, Georgia at PM on a hot August weekend day, you can bet there is a huge demand for electricity to run millions of air conditioners! But, 12 hours later at AM Hydroelectric plants are more efficient at providing for peak power demands during short periods than are fossil-fuel and nuclear power plants, and one way of doing that is by using "pumped storage", which reuses the same water more than once.

Pumped storage is a method of keeping water in reserve for peak period power demands by pumping water that has already flowed through the turbines back up a storage pool above the power plant at a time when customer demand for energy is low, such as during the middle of the night.

The water is then allowed to flow back through the turbine-generators at times when demand is high and a heavy load is placed on the system. The reservoir acts much like a battery, storing power in the form of water when demands are low and producing maximum power during daily and seasonal peak periods. An advantage of pumped storage is that hydroelectric generating units are able to start up quickly and make rapid adjustments in output.

They operate efficiently when used for one hour or several hours. Because pumped storage reservoirs are relatively small, construction costs are generally low compared with conventional hydropower facilities. Water is everywhere, which is fortunate for all of humanity, as water is essential for life. Even though water is not always available in the needed quantity and quality for all people everywhere, people have learned to get and use water for all of their water needs, from drinking, cleaning, irrigating crops, producing electricity, and for just having fun.

Nothing is perfect on Earth, and that includes the production of electricity using flowing water. Hydroelectric-production facilities are indeed not perfect a dam costs a lot to build and also can have negative effects on the environment and local ecology , but there are a number of advantages of hydroelectric-power production as opposed to fossil-fuel power production. Heating oil. Also in Oil and petroleum products explained Oil and petroleum products Refining crude oil Where our oil comes from Imports and exports Offshore oil and gas Use of oil Prices and outlook Oil and the environment.

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