Hydropower Directory: This is the Hydropower, Hydroenergy, and Hydro Electric directory of All Sites Sorted, and is a subdirectory of the Renewable Energy Online Directory. The Hydro power directory provides listings of online websites and resources related to renewable energy generated from moving water, i.e. hydropower, hydro electric power or hydroenergy.
Art and Hydropower at Hoover Dam
Hydropower presently is the largest source of renewable energy, providing for the majority of the electricity needs in some countries and regions, such as Norway, Canada, Iceland, and in the U.S. in the Pacific Northwest and Tennessee Valley (TVA), via hydroelectric power plants. In total, hydroelectricity provides about 20% of world demand. Despite that, only a small percentage of the available hydropower resources have been harnessed. Hydropower is renewable in that it is generated from the endless cycle of precipitation, runoff and collection of water, such as by using dams. There is almost a limitless supply of hydropower, limited only by the funding sources available and some environmental counter-concerns. Nevertheless it contributes significantly to reduction of carbon emissions, greenhouse gases, and particulates resulting from the burning of oil or coal to run electric power generators, and also reduces dependency on unreliable and often hostile sources of crude oil and other forms of energy supply.
Hydropower loosely relates to the generation of usable energy, such as electricity, from flowing water. The amount of power available depends on the mass of water flow, relating to the rate of water flow and the reservoir height. Hydropower has been used for centuries to power mechanical devices, such as using water wheels to run grain mills and irrigation pumps. The most economically significant use of hydropower of course is for hydroelectric power generation. Hydro electricity is generated using water turbines to harness the water flow from a reservoir created by a dam. The advantages are an endless renewable source of energy, essentially pollution free. In addition the lakes created behind the dams provide recreational opportunities for boating and fishing. Among the more famous dams are the Hoover Dam, creating Lake Mead, the controversial Aswan Dam in Egypt, and the Tennessee Valley dams run by the Tennessee Valley Authority. One concern with hydro electric generation has to do with the river blockage caused by the requisite dam. As the lake fills behind the dam, the previously dry land winds up under water. Frequently dams are in remote locations and the dislocation is not too significant. In some instances, such as in the Aswan dam, historic treasures and their locations are lost forever. The Aswan Dam although initially viewed as an economic benefit due to its hydro electric capacity is controversial because it disrupts natural cycles of flooding and soil improvement in the lower Nile, leading to calls for it dismantlement and restoration of historical treasures of ancient Egypt. Despite some controversies hydro power is predominantly viewed as a huge economic and environmental benefit as providing clean electricity generation plus recreational benefit.
Another hydropower alternative is micro hydro electric or small hydro electric power generation. This relates to the use of hydropower on a relatively small commercial scale – as compared with huge hydro electric projects involving large dams and reservoirs. Micro hydropower and small hydroelectric power generation has become particularly popular in China and some other Asian countries. Micro or small hydro electric power stations typically will produce in the range of 0.01 MW (.01 megawatt or 10 kilowatts) up to 1 MW (megawatt) for micro hydropower, and then 1 MW up to 30 MW (megawatts) for small hydro electric power generation. In contrast the Hoover Dam has a hydro electricity power capacity exceeding 2000 MW. Often micro hydro electric power stations are installed on existing dams initially built for flood control and irrigation purposes.
The websites listed below focus on hydropower, hydroenergy and hydro electricity, including research, dams, power stations, and related businesses, products and technologies.
India's BHEL Enters Vietnam for $50 Million Hydropower Project, an ... Trading Markets (press release), CA - 35 minutes ago BANGALORE, INDIA, Aug 20, 2008 (MARKET WIRE via COMTEX) -- BHHEF | Quote | Chart | News | PowerRating -- Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land ...
Small hydro plants planned for Vietnam United Press International (subscription) - 9 hours ago 19 (UPI) -- Vietnam's Central Highlands will be the largest hydropower plant center in the country. There are a series of hydropower plants being built in ...
Vibrant trade marks India, Bhutan ties Financial Express, India - 15 hours ago The important distinction is that the cross-border hydropower projects between the two countries have changed the composition of Bhutan’s export-basket. ...
Howstuffworks - How Hydropower Plants Work: The basic idea is not new, but the process of modern hydropower conversion is high-tech. Today's hydropower plants are some of the coolest machines ever. http://www.howstuffworks.com/hydropower-plant.htm [Read more]
The Hydropower and water power page of the Energy Kids section of the US Energy Administration website. Of the renewable energy sources that generate electricity, hydropower is the most often used. It accouns for 7 percent of total U.S. electricity. http://www.eia.doe.gov/kids/energyfacts/sources/renewable/water.html [Read more]
International technical and business journal for the hydroelectric and dam engineering professions, and for water resources development and management. http://www.hydropower-dams.com/ [Read more]
International Hydropower Association: Members include corporations, engineers, researchers, educational establishments, and individuals working or studying in the field of hydropower. http://www.hydropower.org/ [Read more]
Hydropower (also called hydroelectric power) facilites in the United States can generate enough power to supply 28 million households with electricity. http://www.energy.gov/energysources/hydropower.htm [Read more]
Trade association representing the interests of the hydropower industry. Promotes the use of small hydropower and lobbies to protect its members interests. http://www.british-hydro.org/ [Read more]
Describes small-scale hydroelectric technology (portable to 15 kilowatts, stationary from 50 kilowatts to 5 megawatts) utilizing new high efficiency (84%) http://web.telecom.cz/hydropower/ [Read more]
How Hydropower Works: Hydropower plants capture the energy of falling water to generate electricity. A turbine converts the kinetic energy of falling water into mechanical energy which in turn becomes electric energy in the hydro electric generator. http://www.wvic.com/hydro-works.htm [Read more]
The Canadian Hydropower Association (CHA) is the national association dedicated to representing the interests of the hydropower industry. http://www.canhydropower.org/ [Read more]
The US Department of Energy Hydropower Program website provides hydropower facts and information on tech transfer, state resource assessment, research. http://hydropower.id.doe.gov/ [Read more]
Turning to Hydropower: Site by the Foundation for Water and Energy Education, FWEE. Promotes and provides information about hydropower in the US Pacific Northwest. http://www.fwee.org/ [Read more]
