Hydro
Hydroelectric power, or ‘hydro’ for short, uses running water to drive a turbine to produce electricity. The potential energy stored in water at a height is turned in to kinetic energy as the water falls and rotates the turbine.
Hydro power may be obtained by ‘impoundment’, which involves building a dam across a river; ‘diversion’ (also referred to as ‘run-of-river’) which involves directing a section of river through a canal; or ‘pumped storage’, whereby water is pumped from a low level reservoir to a higher level one, where it is released back through turbines, as demand requires.
Small-scale hydro generally uses the diversion approach, which is less environmentally destructive as it does not require the construction of a dam. This section provides general information about hydro (including relevant policies), the number of installations currently in existence, case studies, information about grants, and links to relevant organisations.
