Energy

Hydroelectric

Hydroelectric plants

Flowing-water power plants

Flowing-water power plants were much more used at the beginning of the last century, above all to activate machine tools in some workshops. The potential of these plants today is less exploited than it could be. Moreover the environmental impact of these plants can be limited. The flow into these plants cannot be regulated, therefore the maximum capacity coincides with the watercourse capacity (except a portion, called minimum vital flow, that is needed to safeguard the ecosystem). Therefore the turbine produces energy according to the watercourse availability: if the watercourse is dry and the water flow diminishes under a certain level, the electric energy production stops. In Switzerland flowing-water power plants satisfy the basic need for electric power.