Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Figure 8.1
Hydroelectric Dam
Reservoir
Long-distance
power lines
Intake
Generator
Turbine
Trailwater
Source:
Tennessee Valley Authority 2011.
than Grand Coulee Dam are found in China, Brazil, and Venezuela. Large-scale hydroelectric
power stations are commonly seen as the largest power-producing facilities in the world (U.S.
Bureau of Reclamation 2011b).
Generating capacity of up to thirty MWe is generally accepted as the upper limit of what can be
termed small hydro in the United States (USDOE 2003, 5), for development of water power on
a scale serving a small community or industrial plant. Small hydro plants may be connected to
conventional electrical distribution networks as a source of low-cost renewable energy, built in
isolated areas that would be uneconomic to serve from a network, or built in areas where there is
no electrical distribution network. Because small hydro projects usually have minimal reservoirs
and civil construction work, they are often seen as having relatively low environmental impact
compared to large hydro. However, this decreased environmental impact depends strongly on the
balance between stream flow and power production.
Micro hydro is a term used for small hydro installations that typically produce up to 100 kilo-
watts of power (USDOE 2003, 5). These installations can provide power to isolated homes or a
small community and are sometimes connected to electric power networks. Micro hydro systems
may be designed either with or without battery storage or a grid connection (Cunningham and
Woofenden 2011). Micro hydro systems often complement photovoltaic solar energy systems
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