Why is hydroelectric power generation an indirect form of solar power?

Answer 1

Direct solar power generation is when sunlight is used to heat something or to generate electricity directly (e.g. using a solar panel)

Once you understand the above you will see that hydroelectric power is obtained when water from a high elevation moves through a turbine to a lower elevation - the energy used is gravity (potential and kinetic energy). However if you think about it what gets the water up in the high river or lake in the first place - the energy that does this is the heat form the sun evaporating the water which forms into cloud then comes down as rain. Therefore although the hydro electrical energy is gravity driven we are in fact using the energy that came form the sun (that raised the water) with hydroelectric power but this energy comes to us in an indirect path from the initial sunlight.

Answer 2

The hydro-energy is said to be an indirect source of solar energy as the enormous amount of water in rivers and oceans has great storage capacity for solar heat energy. This is because of the fact that water has high specific heat capacity.

Answer 3

Because solar energy runs the water cycle giving rise to precipitation and then the rain water flows into reservoir of the dam where it is used to generate electricity.