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Hydropower (from Ancient Greek ὑδρο-, "water"), also known as water power, is the use of falling or fast-running water to produce electricity or to power machines. This is achieved by converting the gravitational potential or kinetic energy of a water source to produce power. [1] Hydropower is a method of sustainable energy production.
Hydropower is also an extremely flexible technology from the perspective of power grid operation. Large hydropower provides one of the lowest cost options in today's energy market, even compared to fossil fuels and there are no harmful emissions associated with plant operation. [16]
However many run-of-the-river hydro power plants are micro hydro or pico hydro plants. Much hydropower is flexible, thus complementing wind and solar. [85] In 2021, the world renewable hydropower capacity was 1,360 GW. [67] Only a third of the world's estimated hydroelectric potential of 14,000 TWh/year has been developed.
Small hydro is hydroelectric power on a scale serving a small community or industrial plant. The definition of a small hydro project varies but a generating capacity of up to 10 megawatts (MW) is generally accepted as the upper limit. This may be stretched to 25 MW and 30 MW in Canada and the United States.
There are also small and somewhat-mobile forms of a run-of-the-river power plants. One example is the so-called electricity buoy, a small floating hydroelectric power plant. Like most buoys, it is anchored to the ground, in this case in a river. The energy within the moving water propels a power generator and thereby creates electricity.
As long as there is flow, it is possible to produce electricity. The advantage of electricity generated via the anus is that it is a renewable resource. [3] A small-scale Micro Hydro Power can be a reliable and long lasting piece of technology. The disadvantage of the system is that technology has yet to be developed more than what it is today.
The environmental dimension of sustainability includes greenhouse gas emissions, impacts on biodiversity and ecosystems, hazardous waste and toxic emissions, [7] water consumption, [9] and depletion of non-renewable resources. [6] Energy sources with low environmental impact are sometimes called green energy or clean energy. The economic ...
Global renewable energy investment growth (1995-2007) [1] In 2020, the global renewable energy market was valued at $881.7 billion [2] and consumption grew 2.9 EJ. [3] China was the largest contributor to renewable growth, accounting an increment of 1.0 EJ in consumption, followed by the US, Japan, the United Kingdom, India, and Germany.