Hydroelectric PowerHydroelectric Power

Professor C.J. KobusProfessor C.J. KobusME 454/554: Solar and Alternate ME 454/554: Solar and Alternate

Energy SystemsEnergy Systems

Hydroelectric PowerHydroelectric Power

OriginsOrigins

Hydroelectric PowerHydroelectric PowerHistoryHistory

B.C. Hydropower used by the Greeks to turn water wheels for grinding wheat into flour, more than 2,000 years ago.

Mid-1770s French hydraulic and military engineer Bernard Forest de Bélidor wrote Architecture Hydraulique, a four-volume work describing vertical-and horizontal-axis machines.

1775 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers founded, with establishment of Chief Engineer for the Continental Army.

1880 Michigan's Grand Rapids Electric Light and Power Company, generating electricity by dynamo belted to a water turbine at the Wolverine Chair Factory, lit up 16 brush-arc lamps.

1881 Niagara Falls city street lamps powered by hydropower.

1882 World's first hydroelectric power plant began operation on the Fox River in Appleton, Wisconsin.

1886 About 45 water-powered electric plants in the U.S. and Canada.

1887 San Bernardino, Ca., opens first hydroelectric plant in the west.

1889 Two hundred electric plants in the U.S. use waterpower for some or all generation.

1901 First Federal Water Power Act.

1902 Bureau of Reclamation established.

1907 Hydropower provided 15% of U.S. electrical generation.

1920 Hydropower provided 25% of U.S. electrical generation. Federal Power Act establishes Federal Power Commission authority to issuelicenses for hydro development on public lands.

1933 Tennessee Valley Authority established.

1935 Federal Power Commission authority extended to all hydroelectric projects built by utilities engaged in interstate commerce.

1937 Bonneville Dam, first Federal dam, begins operation on the Columbia River. Bonneville Power Administration established.

1940 Hydropower provided 40% of electrical generation. Conventional capacity tripled in United States since 1920.

1980 Conventional capacity nearly tripled in United States since 1940.

2003 About 10% of U.S. electricity comes from hydropower. Today, there is about 80,000 MW of conventional capacity and 18,000 MW of pumped storage.

Hydroelectric PowerHydroelectric PowerPotentialPotential

Hydroelectric PowerHydroelectric PowerCurrent Generation by stateCurrent Generation by state

Hydroelectric PowerHydroelectric PowerInpoundmentInpoundment HydropowerHydropower

Hydroelectric PowerHydroelectric PowerMicrohydroelectricMicrohydroelectric systemssystems

Hydroelectric PowerHydroelectric PowerUses for Dams in the U.S.Uses for Dams in the U.S.

Hydroelectric PowerHydroelectric Power

CostsCosts

U.S. TechnologyCapital cost $/kW: $1700-2300/kW: cap. Operation cost/kWh: 4.05 mills (0.4¢) Maintenance cost/kWh: 2.62 mills(0.3¢) Total cost/kWh: 23.57 mills (2.4¢) Operating life: 50+ years Capacity factor: 40-50% Average size: 31 MW Click image to enlarge

Source:http://hydropower.inel.gov/hydrofacts/

Hydroelectric PowerHydroelectric PowerWhere are we at now?Where are we at now?

Hydroelectric PowerHydroelectric PowerWhere are we at now in alternative energy?Where are we at now in alternative energy?

Hydroelectric PowerHydroelectric PowerWhere are we at now in hydropower?Where are we at now in hydropower?

Hydroelectric PowerHydroelectric PowerLARGE ScaleLARGE Scale

The largest hydroelectric power plant in the world is the Itaipupower plant, jointly owned by Brazil and Paraguay. Itaipu can produce 12,600 megawatts.

The second largest hydroelectric power plant is the Guri power plant, located on Caroni River in Venezuela. It can produce 10,300 megawatts.

The largest U.S. hydroelectric power plant is the Grand Couleepower station on the Columbia River in Washington State. It can produce 7,600 megawatts and is currently being upgraded to produce 10,080 megawatts. (NREL)

Sources: U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and the National Renewable Energy

Hydroelectric PowerHydroelectric PowerGrand CouleeGrand Coulee

Generators at Grand Coulee DamLocation Description Number Capacity (MW) Total (MW)

Pumping Plant Pump/Generator 6 50 300Station Service Generator 3 10 30

Main Generator 9 125 1125Right Powerhouse Main Generator 9 125 1125

Main Generator 3 600 1800Main Generator 3 700 2100

Totals 33 6480

Third Powerhouse

Left Powerhouse