2. Hydro power is generated by using electricity generators to extract energy from moving water. Historically people used the power of rivers for agriculture and wheat grinding. Today, rivers and streams are re-directed through hydro generators to produce energy What is renewable energy? Renewable energy is a source of energy that can never be exhausted. We can obtain renewable energy from the sun (solar energy), from the water (hydropower), from the wind (Wind turbines), from hot dry rocks, magma, hot water springs (geothermal) and even from firewood, animal manure, crop residues and waste (Biomass). What is non-renewable energy? Non-renewable energy comes from sources that can’t be replenished in a short period of time. We get most of our energy from nonrenewable energy sources, which include fossil fuels such as oil, natural gas, coal and from nuclear energy. Fossil fuels are thought to have been formed from the buried remains of plants and animals that lived millions of years ago. Did you know that between 20 to 25 percent of the electricity generated in Pennsylvania comes from our five nuclear power plants?

3. Hydro power is generated by using electricity generators to extract energy from moving water. Historically people used the power of rivers for agriculture and wheat grinding. Today, rivers and streams are re-directed through hydro generators to produce energy, although there are pros and cons as far as local ecosystems are concerned. The articles on this page explore the use of water to generate electricity. Renewable energy hydro is good because it uses water instead of things like petrol or gas

4. Hydroelectricity has been around for close to 100 years. Hydropower energy has been utilized for over thousands of years. In the United States, hydropower energy is the primary source for electricity. major components of a hydroelectric dam are as follows: 1. Dam A barrier built across a watercourse to hold back the flow of water and create a reservoir. The reservoir that is formed is, in effect, stored energy. 2. Penstock A pipeline used to convey water, under pressure, from the reservoir to the turbines of a hydropower plant. 3. Turbine A machine that is turned by the force of the fast moving water pushing against its blades. Turbines convert the kinetic energy of the water to mechanical energy. 4. Generator Connects to the turbine and rotates to produce the electrical energy. 5. Transformer Converts electricity from the generator to usable voltage levels. 6. Transmission Lines Conduct electricity from the hydropower plant to the electric distribution system. Transmission line voltages are normally 115 kilovolt or larger