Hydropower technology

Hydropower is the most efficient and abundantly available renewable energy source. Hydropower transforms the potential energy of water stored at a height to drive a turbine by the action of water falling on the blades of the turbine. The main types of hydropower plants include dammed reservoir, run-of-river, gravitational vortex, and pumped storage. Hydropower plants are categorized based on the factors of technology and power scale. Hydropower plants are further categorized on the basis of power as small, mini, micro, and large hydropower plants A typical hydropower plant has three basic components, namely an electrical system, mechanical system, and a dam. The first two are used for the production of electricity while the dam is used in controlling the flow of the water. The technologies used in hydropower plants with structural details of the turbines and dams used are discussed in this chapter.