
Hydropower – Do You Know Hydropower Is Man’s Best Friend Over The Ages
When we think of electricity, the first thing that comes to our mind is the water that exists in abundance which God has bestowed our planet with. The two third of earth is made of water or H2O. The combined power of the molecules of hydrogen and oxygen has lighted up the darkest of places and made heaven on earth a reality.
Can you imagine how our forefathers might have survived in all those dark ages when man had still not discovered the immense kinetic energy that the water stored in those rivers, lakes and oceans? Until the human brain deciphered the incredible source of richness the water could endow us with, the man groped in darkness to reach their home, fire was the only source of light their children could rely on for furthering their academic interests. The women also found it difficult to collect wood meant for fire during unfriendly weather conditions.
One day men thought why not try out the power behind the flow of water to move the mills, saws and other big machines. This discovery paved the way for the waterwheels which started generating electric power. This renewable source of energy is the most utilised energy that exist in this 21st century which through its magical power lights up every village in Asia and Africa, or every city in North America or Australia. It not only physically lights up the earth but lights up the lives of millions on it too.
What methods do we adopt to generate electricity out of water? The method is hydropower. How hydropower functions? With the release of water from the dam into the turbine activates the turbine. This moves it during the process which results in electric power being generated, and which is subsequently circulated to various locations through the use of electric grids. There are different sources from where the energy from water can be generated like waterfalls, tidal waves, and oceans. Each of these sources has to be harnessed through the application of a variety of techniques and modern technologies that man has developed over the ages.
The advantages of this alternative source of energy, hydropower, is that it does not cause any dangerous carbon emissions or wastes. For this reason hydropower is also called a green source of energy most suited to our environment and in many ways an economical source. In order to utilize the full potential of this reliable source called hydropower, man has to make investments with long-term benefits in view. He has to envision that the investments he made in land and reservoirs would yield fruits to benefit his children.