Hydroelectric energy and Hydropower Plants | Lesson 7.2 | Earth Science

Summary

This educational video delves into hydroelectric energy, highlighting its significance as the second top renewable energy source in the Philippines, contributing to around 40% of the country's renewable energy. It explains the concept of harnessing electricity from water using dams, tidal power, and other methods. The video outlines the three main components of a hydropower plant: the dam, penstock, and powerhouse. It also discusses three types of hydropower plants: impoundment, diversion or run of river, and pumped storage facilities. The lecture emphasizes hydroelectric power's leading role in global renewable energy, generating approximately 83% of the world's renewable power.

Takeaways

• 💧 Hydroelectric energy, also known as hydro power, is the second top producer of renewable energy in the Philippines after geothermal energy.
• 🌎 Approximately 40% of the Philippines' renewable energy comes from hydroelectric power plants.
• 💡 Hydroelectric energy is defined as the process of using water to produce electricity, which can be harnessed through dams or other modern methods.
• 🌊 Tidal power plants are an example of hydroelectric energy, where the rise and fall of tides turn turbines to produce electricity.
• 🔋 Hydroelectric power is the world's leading source of renewable energy, accounting for about 83% of global renewable power generation.
• 🏭 Components of a hydropower plant include a dam, a penstock (canal, pipe, or tunnel), and a powerhouse that houses the turbines and generator.
• 🏞️ A reservoir is the body of water stored by a dam, which is different from the dam itself.
• 🚧 There are three types of hydropower plants: impoundment facilities, diversion or run of river plants, and pumped storage facilities.
• 🛠️ Impoundment facilities are the most common type of hydropower plant, where a dam is built to store water that is later released to generate electricity.
• 💧 Diversion or run of river facilities redirect river water through a system of pipes and a small dam to a powerhouse without significantly altering the river's natural flow.
• 🔁 Pumped storage power plants use a system of two reservoirs to cycle water back into the upper reservoir after it has passed through a turbine, providing a stable supply of electricity.

Q & A

What is the second top producer of renewable energy in the Philippines?

Hydroelectric energy, or hydro power plants, is the second top producer of renewable energy in the Philippines.

What percentage of renewable energy in the Philippines is produced by hydroelectric power plants?

Around 40 percent of renewable energy in the Philippines is produced by hydroelectric power plants.

What does hydroelectric energy technically mean?

Hydroelectric energy technically means using water to produce electricity.

What is the world's leading source of renewable energy?

Hydroelectric power is the world's leading source of renewable energy, accounting for almost 83 percent of renewable power globally.

What is the term used to refer to hydroelectric energy in the script?

In the script, hydroelectric energy is referred to as 'white coal'.

What are the three conventional components of a hydropower plant?

The three conventional components of a hydropower plant are the dam, the penstock, and the powerhouse.

What is the function of a dam in a hydropower plant?

A dam in a hydropower plant creates a large waterfall that stores enough water to supply the plant at all times.

What is the difference between a reservoir and a dam in the context of a hydropower plant?

A dam is the wall that creates a reservoir, while a reservoir is the supply of water in a hydropower plant.

What are the three types of hydropower plants mentioned in the script?

The three types of hydropower plants mentioned are impoundment facility, diversion or run of river plants, and pumped storage facility.

How does a diversion or run of river hydropower plant work?

A diversion or run of river hydropower plant works by redirecting river water through a dam into pipes towards a penstock, feeding it downhill to the power station.

What is unique about a pumped storage power plant?

A pumped storage power plant combines a small storage reservoir with a system for cycling water back into the bigger reservoir after it has been released through a turbine.