Energy

Hydroelectric

Hydroelectric knowledge

How to obtain energy

Two procedures are available to obtain energy from fresh water: water wheels and hydroelectric power plants. The former produce mechanic energy, the latter electricity. Water is a source of energy marked by numerous advantages known by mankind. That is why it has been used for 4,000 years. It is a relatively abundant source, more or less free, renewable and environmentally friendly. Moreover, its efficiency in the production of electric energy can exceed 80%. Energy can be obtained from seawater too, by exploiting its movements (waves, tides and currents) and its thermal energy (water heating) by creating artificial basins and equipment exploiting temperature difference. However, such technologies still need further development and sometimes only lead to experimental applications.