Hydroelectric EnergyHydroelectric Energy

Lauren Banta, Camden Miller, Billy Moran, Alex Lauren Banta, Camden Miller, Billy Moran, Alex Petkaas, Tori Shinohara, and Meghan WestPetkaas, Tori Shinohara, and Meghan West

Hydroelectric powerHydroelectric power

Purpose: use water to create electricityPurpose: use water to create electricity Has been around since as early as 85 Has been around since as early as 85 BCBC

Produces about 15% of the world’s Produces about 15% of the world’s electricityelectricity

Top Hydroelectric CountriesTop Hydroelectric Countries19921992

Dams in the USDams in the US

How it WorksHow it Works

Economic PerformanceEconomic Performance

Almost all eventually make a short run Almost all eventually make a short run profit.profit.

Slightly more than half of all dams miss Slightly more than half of all dams miss their initial economic return goals. their initial economic return goals.

About one-fifth of the projects achieve About one-fifth of the projects achieve less than 75% of the planned power less than 75% of the planned power targets. targets.

Economic PerformanceEconomic Performance

The average cost overrun of a large dam The average cost overrun of a large dam is 56%, yet variability is high. is 56%, yet variability is high.

On average, one quarter of dams cost less On average, one quarter of dams cost less than planned their cost targets while than planned their cost targets while almost three-quarters of the dams produce almost three-quarters of the dams produce cost overrunscost overruns

The CausesThe Causes

Poor development of technical and cost Poor development of technical and cost estimates and supervision by sponsors;estimates and supervision by sponsors;

Technical problems that arise during Technical problems that arise during construction;construction;

Poor implementation by suppliers and Poor implementation by suppliers and contractors; andcontractors; and

Changes in external conditions (economic Changes in external conditions (economic and regulatory).and regulatory).

Raising EfficiencyRaising Efficiency

Improvements in generation can be Improvements in generation can be achieved by a combination of factors such achieved by a combination of factors such as addingas adding

new powerhouses to the same reservoir, new powerhouses to the same reservoir, adding additional turbines, upgrading adding additional turbines, upgrading existing turbine and generation equipment, existing turbine and generation equipment, or optimizing reservoir operations to or optimizing reservoir operations to improve performance.improve performance.

Corruption?Corruption?

““In the case of developing countries, financial In the case of developing countries, financial institutions have a preference for „large dams rather institutions have a preference for „large dams rather than non-structural alternatives. “than non-structural alternatives. “

““All public financial institutions should immediately All public financial institutions should immediately establish independent, transparent and participatory establish independent, transparent and participatory reviews of all their planned and ongoing dam projects. reviews of all their planned and ongoing dam projects. While such reviews are taking place, project While such reviews are taking place, project preparation and construction should be halted.”preparation and construction should be halted.”

Silting Over of DamsSilting Over of Dams

Problem #1Problem #1

Problem #2Problem #2

Where’s the silt? .

Problem #3Problem #3

Problem #4Problem #4

Sediment fill behind dam in California

Problem #5Problem #5

Hazards of Dam FailureHazards of Dam Failure(Teton Dam Failure)(Teton Dam Failure)

Reasons for dam failure includeReasons for dam failure include:: Negligent operationNegligent operation

Improper maintenance/designImproper maintenance/design Structural failure Structural failure Internal erosionInternal erosion

South Fork Dam Failure

Results of Dam FailureResults of Dam Failure Loss of lifeLoss of life Property damageProperty damage Hardships for those who Hardships for those who

rely on reservoir for rely on reservoir for water or livelihoodwater or livelihood

Loss of capital Loss of capital investment by ownerinvestment by owner

Destruction of wildlife Destruction of wildlife habitats habitats

Adverse impacts on Adverse impacts on ecosystems of the areaecosystems of the area

Some Catastrophic Dam FailuresSome Catastrophic Dam Failures Johnstown, Johnstown,

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (1889)(1889)

St. Francis Dam, St. Francis Dam, California (1906)California (1906)

Buffalo Creek, Buffalo Creek, West Virginia West Virginia (1972)(1972)

Teton Dam, Idaho Teton Dam, Idaho (1976)(1976)

St. Francis Dam Disaster

Salmon Life CycleSalmon Life Cycle

Salmon swimming upstream in Alaska

Spawning Sockeye Salmon in the Brooks River

Chinook Salmon from Columbia River

Fish LaddersFish Ladders Concrete structures to help fish bypass damsConcrete structures to help fish bypass dams Not on all damsNot on all dams

Goose Dam on lower Columbia River

Ladders

Spillways Spillways . .

Way for juvenile Way for juvenile fish to bypass fish to bypass downdown

Decreases ODecreases O22

levels in waterlevels in water Increase COIncrease CO22

levels in waterlevels in water

Grand Coulee Dam on

Columbia River

Fish Collection Channel

Environmental ChangesEnvironmental Changes Increase in Water TemperatureIncrease in Water Temperature

Better habitat for predatorsBetter habitat for predators

McNary Dam on Columbia River

Northern Squawfish

Before the construction of the Grand Coulee Dam

After construction of the Grand Coulee Dam

Three Gorges DamThree Gorges Dam

Micro-hydro powerMicro-hydro power

Micro-Hydroelectric systems Micro-Hydroelectric systems have been around since 1970have been around since 1970

New technology has made New technology has made these systems much more these systems much more useful and efficient useful and efficient

Can operate at 80% efficiency Can operate at 80% efficiency at full loadat full load

Power that is produced is Power that is produced is more cost effective than any more cost effective than any other kind of renewable other kind of renewable energy system energy system

Power Output & Price Power Output & Price

Micro-Hydroelectric Micro-Hydroelectric systems can usually systems can usually create an output up to create an output up to 1kw 1kw These systems range These systems range from about $1,500 to from about $1,500 to $4,000$4,000

Possible Alternative?Possible Alternative?

The flow of water is not The flow of water is not disrupted from these disrupted from these systems so there is not a systems so there is not a problem of fish migrationproblem of fish migration

There is no dam in the There is no dam in the water so there is no water so there is no silting or dam failures silting or dam failures

Just need to find a way to Just need to find a way to use a lot of systems cost use a lot of systems cost effectively in order to effectively in order to produce enough power produce enough power as a normal Hydroelectric as a normal Hydroelectric plant would produceplant would produce

Types of Micro-Hydroelectric Types of Micro-Hydroelectric SystemsSystems

There are many There are many different types of Micro-different types of Micro-Hydroelectric systems Hydroelectric systems Here are 3 Micro-Here are 3 Micro-Hydro systems from Hydro systems from Energy Systems and Energy Systems and Design Design (http://www.microhydropower.com/)(http://www.microhydropower.com/)

How Micro-Hydro Systems WorkHow Micro-Hydro Systems Work

Micro-Hydroelectric systems take water from a Micro-Hydroelectric systems take water from a stream and channel it into a pipeline that stream and channel it into a pipeline that creates a vertical drop in order for the water to creates a vertical drop in order for the water to turn turbines that powers the systemturn turbines that powers the system

More Micro-Hydro SystemsMore Micro-Hydro Systems

Other micro-hydroelectric systems have water pass Other micro-hydroelectric systems have water pass through a guide vane assembly which then turns the through a guide vane assembly which then turns the propeller which is connected to the generator propeller which is connected to the generator

ComparisonComparison

Coal EnergyCoal Energy

Uses Limited Uses Limited ResourceResource

Produces lots of Air Produces lots of Air PollutionPollution

More expensiveMore expensive San AntonioSan Antonio

$0.12-$0.15 per kWhr$0.12-$0.15 per kWhr

Hydroelectric EnergyHydroelectric Energy

Uses Renewable Uses Renewable ResourceResource

Does not produce Air Does not produce Air PollutionPollution

Less expensiveLess expensive SeattleSeattle

$0.07-$0.09 per kWhr$0.07-$0.09 per kWhr

ConclusionConclusion

We do support the use of current dam to We do support the use of current dam to produce hydroelectric power as opposed produce hydroelectric power as opposed to coal-burning,to coal-burning,

however,however, the trend for the future will probably be the trend for the future will probably be

small-scale hydro plants that provide small-scale hydro plants that provide energy for small communitiesenergy for small communities