Hydropower

Hydropower is a renewable energy technology that harnesses the energy of flowing water and converts it into electricity. It utilizes the water flowing in rivers, streams and lakes and stored in dammed reservoirsReservoirs to generate power in hydropowerHydropower plants. The energy in water (hydro energy) is a direct result of solar energy. Sunlight heats the Earth’s surface, causing water evaporation, cloud formation, and precipitation. This water cycle moves large amounts of water between lower and higher elevations. Water energy can be considered an extended form of solar energy. Solar radiation provides the initial energy for the water cycle, which creates the energy potential in water flows. Similar to wind energyWind energy, water energy is based on motion (kinetic energy). When water pushes turbine bladesTurbine blades or buckets, the hydro turbine’s generator converts the energy from the rotating blades into mechanical energy in the form of electric power.