{"id":42720,"date":"2022-08-12T09:58:35","date_gmt":"2022-08-12T08:58:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/myenergi.com\/ie\/?post_type=guides&#038;p=42720"},"modified":"2025-06-12T09:49:42","modified_gmt":"2025-06-12T08:49:42","slug":"hydroelectric-energy-a-renewable-energy-guide","status":"publish","type":"guides","link":"https:\/\/www.myenergi.com\/ie\/guides\/hydroelectric-energy-a-renewable-energy-guide\/","title":{"rendered":"Hydroelectric Energy: A Renewable Energy Guide"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n<div id='block-header-basic-block_13c9d57c8d32febf43a41113d7df4e2b'  class='flexi-block header-basic-block pt-8 lg:pt-16 pb-8 lg:pb-16 relative '>\n\n\n    <div class=\"relative \">\n\t\n\t<div class=\"container flex flex-col mx-auto    justify-end py-11 md:py-9 lg:py-11 \">\n\t\t<div class=\"first-mt-0 \">\n                            <h1 class=\"h2 lg:h3 !mb-0\">\n                    Hydroelectric Energy: A Renewable Energy Guide                <\/h1>\n                    <\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"relative flex flex-wrap justify-between w-full mx-auto\">\n    <div class=\"w-full py-5 breadcrumbs\">\n        <nav aria-label=\"breadcrumbs\" class=\"rank-math-breadcrumb\"><p><span class=\"last\">Home<\/span><\/p><\/nav>    <\/div>\n<\/div>\t\t\t<\/div>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div id='block-simple-content-block_0acc0310d8d594ebf89835dd42328a8e'  class='flexi-block simple-content-block pt-8 lg:pt-16 pb-8 lg:pb-16 '>\n\n    <div class=\"container mx-auto wide-container\">\n\n        <div class=\"content-inner bg-white rounded-2.5xl \">\n\n            <div class=\"mx-auto first-mt-0 last-mb-0 max-w-[90%] xl:max-w-[990px]  \">\n\n                <p style=\"text-align: center;\">Hydroelectric energy is the biggest source of renewable power in the world,\u00a0contributing 71%\u00a0of renewable electricity.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">Not sure what exactly hydroelectric energy is, or how it can benefit your home and the planet as a whole? Follow our guide to learn everything you need to know about the clean, renewable, green energy source.<\/p>\n\n            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div id='block-simple-content-block_76229be47ed84a9920a77efe6b91d93e'  class='flexi-block simple-content-block pt-12 md:pt-20 lg:pt-32 pb-12 md:pb-20 lg:pb-32 '>\n\n    <div class=\"container mx-auto wide-container\">\n\n        <div class=\"content-inner bg-white rounded-2.5xl \">\n\n            <div class=\"mx-auto first-mt-0 last-mb-0 max-w-[90%] xl:max-w-[990px]  \">\n\n                <div class=\"col-12 connected-full-text-block\">\n<h4>What is hydroelectric energy?<\/h4>\n<p>The term \u2018hydro\u2019 is of Greek origin, meaning water. Therefore, hydroelectricity is simply electric power generated through the water.<\/p>\n<p>Moving water has been used for many years to generate power, and in more recent times, it has grown to become the leading source of renewable electric energy.<\/p>\n<p>The largest hydro plants are currently located in China, Brazil, Russia, Canada and the US.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"col-12 flex center justify-center connector\"><\/div>\n\n            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div id=\"block-fifty-fifty-img-txt-block_8337e180ee1be4fc7515cbcea797168a\"  class=\"bg-white flexi-block fifty-fifty-img-txt-block  \">\n\t<div class=\"container relative z-10 flex flex-wrap justify-center pb-0 mx-auto pt-8 lg:pt-16 pb-8 lg:pb-16 \">\n        <div class=\"flex flex-wrap w-full justify-center lg:justify-between items-center    lg:flex-row-reverse\">\n\n            \n                <div class=\"w-full load-hidden image-wrapper lg:w-1\/2 md:max-w-[500px] lg:max-w-none  xl:pl-3.9\">\n                    <img decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"667\" src=\"https:\/\/www.myenergi.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2022\/08\/hydro-700x667-1.jpeg\" class=\"w-full rounded-2.5xl\" alt=\"\" style=\"opacity: 1\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.myenergi.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2022\/08\/hydro-700x667-1.jpeg 700w, https:\/\/www.myenergi.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2022\/08\/hydro-700x667-1-300x286.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/www.myenergi.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2022\/08\/hydro-700x667-1-600x572.jpeg 600w, https:\/\/www.myenergi.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2022\/08\/hydro-700x667-1-250x238.jpeg 250w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/>                <\/div>\n\n            \n            \n                <div class=\"w-full self-center lg:w-1\/2 md:max-w-[500px] lg:max-w-none lg:pr-20 2xl:pr-45 pt-12 lg:pb-0 load-hidden content-wrapper\">\n                    <div class=\"w-full first-mt-0 last-mb-0 \">\n                        <h4>How does hydroelectricity work?<\/h4>\n<p>Hydroelectric energy is power generated through the power of flowing water, which spins a turbine connected to an electric generator. Due to water\u2019s predictable nature, hydropower is actually one of the most dependable and reliable sources of renewable energy.<\/p>\n<p>Hydro generators can vary tremendously in size, ranging from as small as 50kw up to a whopping 2,000kw, like the Hoover Dam.<\/p>\n<p>Usually, a hydropower system is constructed via three elements: a power plant from which the electricity is produced, a river or dam that can be opened and closed to control the flow of water, and finally some form of the reservoir in which the water can be stored.<\/p>\n<p>With such a simple yet innovative system in place, you have a great level of control on the flow of energy, which is of course a huge advantage, particularly if you are using it with other renewable energy sources such as\u00a0wind power\u00a0or\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/solarpowerni.co.uk\/solar-panels-for-home\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">solar panels<\/a>.<\/p>\n                    <\/div>\n                <\/div>\n\n                    <\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n<div id=\"block-fifty-fifty-img-txt-block_d40ba205558e646e2bde7a81ffdc94f6\"  class=\"bg-white flexi-block fifty-fifty-img-txt-block  \">\n\t<div class=\"container relative z-10 flex flex-wrap justify-center pb-0 mx-auto pt-8 lg:pt-16 pb-8 lg:pb-16 \">\n        <div class=\"flex flex-wrap w-full justify-center lg:justify-between items-center    \">\n\n            \n                <div class=\"w-full load-hidden image-wrapper lg:w-1\/2 md:max-w-[500px] lg:max-w-none  xl:pr-3.9\">\n                    <img decoding=\"async\" width=\"510\" height=\"340\" src=\"https:\/\/www.myenergi.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2022\/08\/hydroelectric-energy.jpeg\" class=\"w-full rounded-2.5xl\" alt=\"\" style=\"opacity: 1\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.myenergi.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2022\/08\/hydroelectric-energy.jpeg 510w, https:\/\/www.myenergi.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2022\/08\/hydroelectric-energy-300x200.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/www.myenergi.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2022\/08\/hydroelectric-energy-250x167.jpeg 250w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 510px) 100vw, 510px\" \/>                <\/div>\n\n            \n            \n                <div class=\"w-full self-center lg:w-1\/2 md:max-w-[500px] lg:max-w-none lg:pl-20 2xl:pl-45 pt-12 lg:pt-0 load-hidden content-wrapper\">\n                    <div class=\"w-full first-mt-0 last-mb-0 \">\n                        <h4>How sustainable and renewable actually is hydropower?<\/h4>\n<p>In 2017, thanks to hydropower replacing coal in many countries, \u201cthe world prevented up to 4 billion tonnes of greenhouse gases \u2013 and avoided a 10 per cent rise in global emissions from fossil fuels,\u201d reports\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.hydropower.org\/news\/2018-hydropower-status-report-shows-record-rise-in-clean-electricity\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Hydropower.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>In total that year, there was enough hydropower electricity generated to provide electricity for\u00a0one billion people.<\/p>\n<p>While hydropower creates free, stable and clean energy, there are a few criticisms of this renewable energy source, one being that the initial construction of the large-scale plants can be costly and can potentially disrupt ecosystems and local surrounding communities.<\/p>\n                    <\/div>\n                <\/div>\n\n                    <\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n<div id='block-simple-content-block_64cc15d7b5ed2f943c6c529d2f4e7acf'  class='flexi-block simple-content-block pt-12 md:pt-20 lg:pt-32 pb-8 '>\n\n    <div class=\"container mx-auto wide-container\">\n\n        <div class=\"content-inner bg-white rounded-2.5xl \">\n\n            <div class=\"mx-auto first-mt-0 last-mb-0 max-w-[90%] xl:max-w-[990px]  \">\n\n                <h4 class=\"center lightgreen bold\" style=\"text-align: center;\">What are the different types of hydroelectric energy?<\/h4>\n\n            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\t<div id='block-columns-block_6c29209ffdb5ec683015ada5654bf989'  class='bg-white flexi-block columns-block pt-8 pb-12 md:pb-20 lg:pb-32 columns overflow-x-hidden'>\n\t\t<div class=\"container relative z-10 mx-auto max-w-8xl\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"grid grid-cols-1 gap-7.5 lg:grid-cols-2 \">\n\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"w-full w-full load-hidden flex flex-wrap flex-col column column-2\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"w-full first-mt-0 last-mb-0 grow content-wrapper relative sm:px-10 pb-7 xl:pl-20 xl:pr-32 lg:py-16 pt-9 pb-8 md:pb-[62px] lg:pt-14 md:pt-16 sm:bg-grey-19 rounded-b-2.5xl !rounded-2.5xl \">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h5>1.\u00a0<strong>Storage Hydropower<\/strong><\/h5>\n<p>Electricity-powered through the release and flow of water from a large reservoir using a dam system. The water surges through a turbine, which is then used to provide power towards the generator.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<h5>3.\u00a0<strong>Pumped-storage hydropower<\/strong><\/h5>\n<p>Gathering power from water that is pushed between lower and higher reservoirs using pumps powered by surplus energy. When demand is high, the turbines release water from the upper reservoir down below to produce power.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"w-full w-full load-hidden flex flex-wrap flex-col column column-2\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"w-full first-mt-0 last-mb-0 grow content-wrapper relative sm:px-10 pb-7 xl:pl-20 xl:pr-32 lg:py-16 pt-9 pb-8 md:pb-[62px] lg:pt-14 md:pt-16 sm:bg-grey-19 rounded-b-2.5xl !rounded-2.5xl \">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h5>2.\u00a0<strong>Run-of-river hydropower<\/strong><\/h5>\n<p>This system utilises the power generated from the flowing water of a canal or penstock to activate a turbine. Generally, these systems do not entail a storage facility, unlike the storage hydropower. Run-of-river systems are particularly useful for continuous, steady supplies of power.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<h5>4.\u00a0<strong>Offshore hydropower<\/strong><\/h5>\n<p>A hydropower energy source that uses the power of waves and currents to produce electricity from the oceans.<\/p>\n<p>It is not unusual for these four technologies to sometimes overlap and entwine in bigger, more varied hydropower systems.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n<div id='block-simple-content-block_2ac29c9b70f07c0e9ca237000a1f4b5f'  class='flexi-block simple-content-block pt-12 md:pt-20 lg:pt-32 pb-12 md:pb-20 lg:pb-32 '>\n\n    <div class=\"container mx-auto wide-container\">\n\n        <div class=\"content-inner bg-white rounded-2.5xl \">\n\n            <div class=\"mx-auto first-mt-0 last-mb-0 max-w-[90%] 2xl:max-w-[1410px]  \">\n\n                <h3 class=\"center lightgreen bold\" style=\"text-align: center;\">What next?<\/h3>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Hydroelectricity currently contributes\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.britishgas.co.uk\/business\/blog\/hydroelectricity-what-the-future-of-hydropower-holds\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">16% of the world\u2019s electricity<\/a>. Considering that this is the most popular and widely used source of renewable energy, we still have a long way to go before we\u2019re completely renewable and sustainable, no longer damaging planet earth with fossil fuels and unnecessary waste.<\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019re looking to\u00a0reduce your carbon footprint\u00a0and increase your\u00a0self-consumption of green energy, get in touch with our team and explore our range of award-winning\u00a0green energy products\u00a0today.<\/p>\n<p>From\u00a0sustainable car chargers\u00a0to\u00a0renewable power storage systems, join our mission to creating a more sustainable and brighter future now!<\/p>\n\n            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"template":"","guides-category":[137,119],"class_list":["post-42720","guides","type-guides","status-publish","hentry","guides-category-renewable-energy-guides","guides-category-industry-made-easy"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.myenergi.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/guides\/42720","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.myenergi.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/guides"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.myenergi.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/guides"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.myenergi.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/guides\/42720\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":47245,"href":"https:\/\/www.myenergi.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/guides\/42720\/revisions\/47245"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.myenergi.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=42720"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"guides-category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.myenergi.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/guides-category?post=42720"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}