and in our area.

HYDROPOWER Hydropower is one of the oldest power sources on the planet, generating power when flowing water spins a wheel or turbine. It was used by farmers as far back as ancient Greece for mechanical tasks like griding grain. Flowing water creates energy that can be captured and turned into electricity. This is called hydroelectric power or hydropower.

Straszyn Electric energy from water in the area of Poland commended as far back as in the year 1910, at the Radunian river close to Gdańsk north of Poland, where the first water-power plants started to operate in the locations of Straszyn and Rutki. Hydropower in Straszyn

Gródek However the first professional turbine set of an hydro-electric power station, having high power that period of time, i.e 3.5 MW, was built in Gródek on the Wda river, in 1923.

The hydro- energy resources of Poland are estimated to be 13,7 TWH per year of which 45,3 % falls to Vistula river, 43, 6% to drainage areas of the Vistula and the Oder.

Renewable energy sources in Poland. Currently, Poland utilises its hydro-energy resources only in 17%, which is 7,3 % of the power installed in the national energy system. The water power plants can be divided into river power plants producting electric energy, and pumped- storage power stations which serve mainly for storage of electric energy, producted in a different way. The total power of water – power stations is currently 2040 MW. alne-zrodla-energii-w-polsce-w-2011-roku

Hydroelectric plants in Poland

The biggest Polish hydroelectric plants are:  Power plant Żarnowiec (716 MW) year start-1983, pumped storage  Power plant Porąbka Żar (500 MW) a year starting in 1979, pumped storage  Power plant in Solina (200 MW) a year starting in 1968, pumped storage  Power plant inWłocławek (162 MW) a year starting in 1969, pumped storage  Power plant Żydowo (150 MW) a year starting in 1971, pumped storage. Żarnowiec is the largest hydroelectric plant in Poland.

This is map of hydro-power plants in our province.

This is the part in Solina. This power plant is bigger than the power plant in Myczkowce.

The bird’s-eye view of this place. It’s beautiful and up the dam is the Solina lake.

Technical data of the dam:  Type: paved,  Height: 82 metres,  Lenght: 664 metres,  Dam volume: m 3, Technical data of the lake:  Capacity: m 3  Surface: 22 square kilometres  Lenght: 26,6km  Coast line lenght: 150km

. Solina The dam is 664 m (2,178 ft) long, 8.8 m (29 ft) wide at the crest, and 81.8 m (268 ft) high. This construction is created at the largest artifical lake in Poland - Lake Solina. It has got four turbines which were initially capable of generating 200 MW of electricity. 6 m Below bottom.

Solina As a pumped-storage power station, two of the turbines can also reverse flow and send water from the Myczkowce Dams reservoir back into the Lake Solina for use during peak periods, optimizing power generation.

SOLINA Starting in 1995 efforts have been made to modernize the power plant. The installation of new technologies between 2000 and 2003 and the replacement of the old turbines resulted in the dam currently generating 200 MW of electricity as opposed to 173 MW previously.

. Solina It is the best known tourist attraction of the region, with waterside villages like Solina, Myczkowce and Polańczyk catering to watersports enthusiasts. The lakes great depth, water clarity, and mountainous scenery makes it a very popular destination for boaters

Solina Another oddity is ability of terroristic attac. The dam is watched over 24 h a day seven days in a week by special guards. In case of damaged - the wave of 30 m high would reach the town Sanok.

Advantages of water energy 1. Once a dam is constructed, electricity can be produced at a constant rate. 2. If electricity is not needed, the sluice gates can be shut, stopping electricity generation. The water can be saved for use another time when electricity demand is high. 3. Dams are designed to last many decades and so can contribute to the generation of electricity for many years / decades.

4. The lake that forms behind the dam can be used for water sports and leisure / pleasure activities. Often large dams become tourist attractions in their own right. 5. The lake's water can be used for irrigation purposes. 6. The build up of water in the lake means that energy can be stored until needed, when the water is released to produce electricity.

Disadvantages of water energy 1. Dams are extremely expensive to built and must be built to a very high standard. 2. The high cost of dam construction means that they must operate for many decades to become profitable. 3. The flooding of large areas of land means that the natural environment is destroyed. 4. People living in villages and towns that are in the valley to be flooded, must move out.. 5. The building of large dams can cause serious geological damage. 6. Although modern planning and design of dams is good, in the past old dams have been known to be breached (the dam gives under the weight of water in the lake). This has led to deaths and flooding.

Barriers of hydropower developmnent in Poland Barriers resulting from formal and legal regulations, Environmental protection, Economic barriers.

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