WH2O--Channel 11 News Team
Your Source for Water Wisdom
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WH2O--Channel 11 News Team Your Source for Water Wisdom |
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Liquid Energy by Bryan Click here for printer friendly version of this information. |
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Picture from Microsoft Clipart
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How is Water Power Environmentally Safe?
Hydroelectricity vs. Other Sources of Energy
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| Essential Questions: Is water a source of energy? How does water interact with other sources of energy? Is water a renewable or nonrenewable source of energy? What are examples of other renewable and nonrenewable sources of energy? How much alternative sources of energy does Georgia use? | |
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by Brian |
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Picture from Microsoft Clipart
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You might be wondering what hydropower is and how it works. Well first, hydropower is the making of electricity by storing water by using a dam and putting it into a reservoir and forcing the water by a turbine. It all works like this: Water from the reservoir is forced into a pipe called a "penstock" which flows and forces a turbine (propeller) which is connected to a "powerhouse generator" with a rod. This gets the generator turning and producing electricity. The electricity flows out through power lines and to wherever it's needed.
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"Hydroelectric Power: How it Works." Hydroelectric Power: How it Works. U.S.G.S.. 23 Jan. 2006 <http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/hyhowworks.html>.
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by Brian |
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Picture From Microsoft Clipart
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Hydropower is a great source of energy and is used to make electricity. Though only 2% of dams in the U.S. are used to make hydroelectricity, hydroelectricity is the greatest renewable source of energy. It is 97% renewable and is used for many reasons. It is used to run major factories cheaply and used to get electricity to a handful of homes across the world. About 20% of the worlds electricity comes from hydropower. About 10% of it is used in the United States. Above all other countries, Canada is the leading producer in hydropower. Those are a few ways hydropower is used and how much is made worldwide.
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"Facts About Hydropower." usbr. 23 Jan. 2006 <http://www.usbr.gov/lc/hooverdam/gallery/pwrplant.html>. |
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How is it Environmentally Safe? by Brian |
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Picture from Microsoft Clipart
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Hydropower is considered one of the most environmentally friendly sources of energy. This is mainly because it does not involve the burning of oils and gasses, which pollute the air and cause acid rain which kills trees, plants, and small animals. Compare that to the sources of energy we use every day and there's really no comparison. Hydropower is the cheapest and the safest source of energy.
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"Environment." WVIC. 23 Jan. 2006 <http://www.wvic.com/hydro-facts.htm>. |
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by Brian
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 Picture from Microsoft Clipart |
Hydropower in the United States makes enough energy to meet the needs of 28 million residents. In production, Canada is number 1, the U.S. is number 2. About other countries: Norway's electricity is about 99% hydroelectric, New Zealand's electricity is 75% hydroelectric. According to the "Facts About Hydropower" website, hydroelectricity is the source that can come "on line" quick enough in an energy crisis in the nation. |
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How Much is Used in Georgia?
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Lake Hartwell--Georgia Dam
Click here for picture source:
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Lake Hartwell Dam is just outside of Hartwell, Georgia. It took from 1955 to 1963 to finish this dam. It was constructed by the U.S. Army to control flooding in the area. It was all part of the U.S. Army 2nd Corps of Engineers Flood Control and Hydropower project. This dam is located in the northeastern corner of Georgia, just outside of Hartwell, a town along the South Carolina state line. The lake is bordered by several counties in Georgia, as well as South Carolina. Lake Hartwell Covers somewhere around 56,000 acres of lake area with a vast shoreline of 962 miles. According to Colquitt EMC Manager of Engineering
in Moultrie, Georgia, Lake Hartwell dam capacity is : 422
Megawatts(MW) It produces about 468,000 MegawattHours
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Thurmond Dam Power Generators
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The J. Strom Thurmond Dam is located on the Savannah River, just 237 miles upstream from Savannah, Georgia. This dam was also created by the Army Corps of Engineers. This was their first multipurpose project. It was created under authorized law 534 by Congress. It took from 1946 to 1954 to finish this hydropower project. This dam was also used for flood control of the environment. The lake this dam creates is a 71,000 acre lake, it spreads about 29 miles into the Savannah River. It's about 239 miles from the river's mouth (opening where the river starts). According to Colquitt EMC Manager of Engineering in Moultrie, Georgia, Thurmond dam capacity is 280(MW). It produces about 300,000 MWH of energy. Thurmond Dam can power over 40,000 homes. * |
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*The data on Capacity values do not change. The energy
number is for 2004. Energy is based upon amount of rainfall, which puts more water in the Savannah River, which turns the turbines, that turn the generators, that produce electricity. |
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"Energy." Facts About Hydropower. WVIC. 23 Jan. 2006 <http://www.wvic.com/hydro-facts.htm>. "J. Strom Thurmond Dam & Lake." sas.usace.army.mil. U.S Army Corps of Engineers. 24 Feb. 2006 <www.sas.usace.army.mil/lakes/thurmond/t_hydropower.htm>. "Lake Hartwell Dam." georgiamagazine.com. Georgia Internet Magazine. 24 Feb. 2006 <www.georgiamagazine.com>. Nichols, Danny. Personal interview. 23 Feb 2006.
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by Brian |
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 Picture from www.wvic.com/images/hydro-1.gif
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You might me wondering how much hydropower costs, if you are, here's the latest info: (KWH= kilowatt hours)
Do the math, and you'll see how much cheaper hydropower really is!
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"Cost." Facts About Hydropower. WVIC. 23 Jan. 2006 <http://www.wvic.com/hydro-facts.htm>.
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