Where is hydropower used?

Answer 1

Hydro energy is using the power of water to run a machine. It was invented thousands of years ago when millers used the power of a stream to turn a paddle wheel to grind their corn into flour. The Romans and Greeks used hydro power around 200 BC.

The use of hydro energy to produce electricity is much more modern. About 1870 a miner connected a dynamo to a water wheel to generate electricity.

See the related question below.

Answer 2

Hydroelectricity is used wherever good supplies of water with plenty of gravitational potential energy are available. Canada is a good example of a place where that applies. It usually involves building a dam across a mountain river to allow a lake to form behind it as a reservoir, though there are increasing numbers of 'river-run' schemes. It involves a major capital investment, but then provides cheap and relatively clean electricity. The main drawback is the flooding of the valley behind the dam, which can affect the habitats of plants and animals, and the diversion of rivers through pipelines for the river run schemes. The large initial cost and major engineering requirements can be a problem in some places. Lack of rainfall or competition for scarce water resources can cause supply problems. Despite this, it is often the favoured form of electricity generation where suitable sites exist. In Britain, which has only small uplands by world standards, only about 1.8% of electricity comes from hydroelectric with little capacity to increase this. In the USA 6.8% of generating capacity comes from hydroelectric schemes, whilst in Canada the figure rises to 56% nationally, with some provinces such as British Columbia getting 90% of their supply this way. The largest producer of hydroelectricity is China, with 721 terawatt-hours in 2010.

Answer 3

Hydropower is usually used in irrigation of land for farming. It can also be used to operate various machines such as sawmills and watermills. Hydropower is usually harvested from water rushing down the dams.
A hydroelectric power plant is where the movement of water is used to turn a turbine which, in turn, generates electricity.

No fuel is burned so there is no pollution or greenhouse gas.

Answer 4

Its used in dams on the outskirts of cities along large river systems, this produces large amounts of electricity that is sometimes stored for backup energy but mostly gos straight to peoples homes.

Answer 5

hydroelectricity is used often 1 time a day.

Answer 6

I think that it will be used in the future because it is a waste free source of energy

Answer 7

Hydropower has been used in the past: watermills, sawmills, lifts, ect.

Answer 8

Hydroelectric energy has been used in the past at many places. An example is Niagra Falls.

Answer 9

used to turn water mills.....