What Is Hydroelectricity? What are the Pros and Cons?

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What is Hydroelectricity?

Hydroelectricity, in the simplest of terms, is the electricity that is generated using flowing water, or that water which is stored in a reservoir. In both cases however, the basic fundamental principle of power generation remains the same. here is an explanation of how hydroelectricity is generated. A large volume of water is stored in a reservoir at a high altitude. A power generation plant, consisting of multiple turbines is constructed downstream, at a much lower altitude. The reservoir and the power generation plant are connected by large pipelines. When water is released from the reservoir, it flows down at a high speed towards the turbine. Naturally, the speed at which the water flows down will be directly proportional to the difference between the altitudes of the reservoir and the turbine. As the water flows down, its potential energy gets converted into kinetic energy, which therein works the turbine blades and produces electricity. This is how hydroelectric power is generated..

Pros 

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  • Hydroelectricity is undoubtedly the most widely-used form of renewable energy as compared to other energy forms such as solar energy, tidal energy, wind energy, etc. It is also the most feasible of all renewable energy options and therefore, the most popular.
  • In terms of reliability and consistency, hydroelectricity is way ahead of its other renewable energy counterparts. Hydroelectric power is a preferred choice of power, not just for small scale industries, but also for heavy duty industries and manufacturing plants.
  • Hydroelectric power is completely independent of fossil fuels or other perishable resources. It does not involve any combustion or ...

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