Renewable Energy - Hydropower

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Renewable Energy - Hydropower Hydropower was first used in 1880 to generate 16 lamps at a wolverine chair factory in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Other hydroelectric plants soon opened near Appleton, Wisconsin on the Fox River on September 30, 1882. At that time, the only fuel used to make electricity was coal because of its abundance and low cost. People were aware of hydroelectric power, but the only places you could utilize it was if you were near a water source. Hydropower became more popular when technology could send electricity long distances. In order to generate hydropower, you need to direct moving water into pipes known as penstocks. The swiftly flowing water in big rivers determines the energy produced, or by waterfalls, like those found along the Columbia River or Niagara Falls. After the moving water is directed into the penstock, it pushes against the blades of a turbine, spinning a generator that produces electricity. Another way to generate hydropower is by creating a storage system where water is collected by dams that can direct water into the penstock to turn the generator when the demand for electricity is high. The water being held back by the dam becomes lakes that can be used for boating and fishing. The rivers beyond the dam can be used for whitewater rafting and kayaking spots. A perfect example of this is the Hoover dam, built in 1936 between Arizona and Nevada. Lake Mead provides 112 miles of recreation, including boating and fishing. Hydropower is an ideal fuel because it is renewable and almost free, it has no waste products, and it does not pollute the water or air. A negative about hydropower is how it changes the environment and alters natural habitats. An example of the negative effect on nature by a dam was when the salmon was blocked from their spawning grounds upstream. The dams disrupted the natural pattern of
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