Getting Power Through Water Energy

Water is everywhere around you. Keeping in mind the fact that water comprises most of the face of earth, without it we would never survive. Not only are we talking about the clean drinking water here, but also the dirty and murky sea water. Besides that, water also serves so many other purposes, one of which is to provide energy. Known as water energy, the energy that is produced can be found anywhere where there’s flowing water.

Water energy is one of the main renewable energies that generate electricity on earth. In The United States, people are now starting to see the benefits of such an energy source as compared to the ones we currently employ. One of the known ways of producing this water energy is by trapping the water at a dam, which is why the electric produced is called hydroelectric.

History

If you were to watch movies based on olden times, you can see houses by the rivers having a paddle wheel for purposes like grinding grain, running businesses, and many more. In 1882, the first hydroelectric dam was opened in the US, which marked a departure from the conventional coal electric power plant. But it has to be reminded also that during those times, they were all the more focused on the places near water only. Only after they discovered the technology to transmit all the water energy elsewhere did they start using the systems widely around the country, too.

How It Works

It has to be known that, natively, water energy is not present. Keeping in mind the process of the global water cycle, we move on to see how the water energy is produced. The energy is basically produced by directing, harnessing, or channeling the water. In that case, the amount of water energy produced is determined by its flow or fall. Naturally moving water in a deep river carries tones of energy with the flow. And the same goes to water rushing down from a waterfall.

In all cases, when the water flow is channeled through a pipe or a penstock, the gush of the flow will turn the turbine there, which spins and produces electricity. There are different versions of the hydroelectric dam, depending on the need and demand of electricity in the area.

But good things don’t come free. Water energy is the ideal energy source, but generally the dams are a great damage to the natural habitat around the place. The construction of the dam, together with the reservoir which makes up the lake, can take up to hundreds of square miles.

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