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Hydropower's role today. Renewable hydropower is a reliable, versatile and low-cost source of clean electricity generation and responsible water management.
However, hydropower projects and the dams associated with them do change the natural river environment, and there is often a price to pay for these changes. USACE works closely with natural resources agencies to minimize the negative environmental impact of all of its hydropower projects.
For instance, in the southeastern states, dissolved oxygen levels below dams often get so low that aquatic life is severely affected. USACE is working to improve dissolved oxygen levels at these facilities by using aerating turbines and injecting oxygen directly into the streamflow.
Over time the public has come to realize that we need a balance between improving our immediate daily environment and in preserving the natural environment around us. Hydroelectricity increases the stability and reliability of electricity systems. The operation of electricity systems depends on rapid and flexible generation sources to meet peak demands, maintain the system voltage levels, and quickly re-establish supply after a blackout.
Energy generated by hydroelectric installations can be injected into the electricity system faster than that of any other energy source. The capacity of hydroelectric systems to reach maximum production from zero in a rapid and foreseeable manner makes them exceptionally appropriate for addressing alterations in the consumption and providing ancillary services to the electricity system, thus maintaining the balance between the electricity supply and demand.
The hydroelectric life cycle produces very small amounts of greenhouse gases GHG. In emitting less GHG than power plants driven by gas, coal or oil, hydroelectricity can help retard global warming.
Hydroelectric power plants don't release pollutants into the air. They very frequently substitute the generation from fossil fuels, thus reducing acid rain and smog. In addition to this, hydroelectric developments don't generate toxic by-products. Hydroelectric installations bring electricity, highways, industry and commerce to communities, thus developing the economy, expanding access to health and education, and improving the quality of life.
In an impoundment facility, a dam is used to control the flow of water stored in a pool or reservoir. When more energy is needed, water is released from the dam. Once water is released, gravity takes over and the water flows downward through a turbine. As the blades of the turbine spin, they power a generator. Another type of hydroelectric energy plant is a diversion facility.
This type of plant is unique because it does not use a dam. Instead, it uses a series of canals to channel flowing river water toward the generator-powering turbines.
The third type of plant is called a pumped-storage facility. This plant collects the energy produced from solar, wind, and nuclear power and stores it for future use. The plant stores energy by pumping water uphill from a pool at a lower elevation to a reservoir located at a higher elevation.
When there is high demand for electricity, water located in the higher pool is released. As this water flows back down to the lower reservoir, it turns a turbine to generate more electricity. Hydroelectric energy is the most commonly-used renewable source of electricity. China is the largest producer of hydroelectricity. Approximately 71 percent of all of the renewable electricity generated on Earth is from hydropower. The Three Gorges Dam in China, which holds back the Yangtze River, is the largest hydroelectric dam in the world, in terms of electricity production.
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