HYDROELECTRIC

POWER
BY GOVIND SHANKAR
WHAT IS HYDROELECTRIC
POWER 
Basic Facts:
• Energy from moving water.
• Three types of storage:
1. Storage in lakes
2. Pump storage system
3. Tidal power
• Renewable. As water will always be moving around the plant.
• The most renewable energy resource in the world 
THE BASIC PRINCIPLE 
• Hydroelectric power is generated by allowing water held at a
height h, with a mass of water m, to flow through turbines
driven down by gravity's acceleration g.
• The gravitational potential energy that the falling water has
stored is released when it falls and is utilized to spin turbines
that produce power.
• Energy can be stored for later use by pumping water back up
to a higher location to be released to a lower location and
spinning the turbines again when needed
ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES 

Advantages  Disadvantages 
Renewable. Won't run out  A large initial investment is required
Clean. No greenhouse gases or pollution released. Large areas and changes to the environment are
needed
Low maintenance once constructed. It relies on suitable locations
Can generate large amounts of power relative to
other types of renewable energy.
3 TYPES OF HYDROELECTRIC
STORAGE 

Storage in a Lake 
• A dam holds water in a lake and releases it to harness the energy from
the water. The water's gravitational potential energy is transformed into
kinetic energy as it falls, which is captured by turbines in the dam.

Pump system storage
• Water is pumped up to a certain height by an outside energy source, and
released when we want to get the energy out. This is a way of storing
energy like a battery, but for very large electric grids.
CONTINUATION

Tidal Power 
Tidal power Captures the energy of rising
and falling tides in the ocean to generate
electrical energy.
NUMERICAL 
AVERAGE HEIGHT 
 QUESTIONS

1.  Detail the operation of a pumped storage hydroelectric system. Mention any energy conversions
implied. (2 Marks)
2. Consider a pumped storage hydroelectric system where the water Falls in pipes by a height of 300
meters before reaching the turbines. By assuming that there is no energy loss in the pipes, estimate the
speed of the water when it reaches the turbines. (2 marks)
3. The generators of this system have an output power of 1.2 GW and an efficiency of 75%. Determine
how long they can operate fully when a mass of 2.0 x 1010 Kg of water passes through the turbines(3
Marks)
4. All the energy stored in the water of the upper reservoir cannot be retrieved. Provide 3 possible
reasons why that is so. (3 Marks)