Hydro Power Generators Are Changing People's Lives

Hydro power has always been part of building civilizations, from the water wheel to ancient irrigation networks. Water has always been harnessed to make mankind’s life more bearable. Today it's making a comeback in the form of various hydro power generators, from enormous dams to backyard hydro power installations. This green form of energy production is a seeing a resurgence in a more eco friendly world.Possibly the most impressive example of the hydro electric power plant is the Three Gorges Dam project in China. The hydro electric dam which became fully operational in 2009 is able to generate 18.2 million kilowatts and prevent flooding downstream, which has in the past proved to be devastating to the Hubei province of China. But this marvel of technology is not the only hydro electric installation that is changing lives across the globe. Far smaller projects have proved a boon to sheep farmers in Wales. In the remote valleys of Wales these farmers are putting hydro electric generators along small streams which run through the farms. These generators are supplying enough electricity to power all the surrounding villages. In fact they’re providing so much power that the farmers are selling excess power to the national electricity provider, giving them much needed income in the traditionally economically depressed area. Perhaps the most noteworthy thing about the project is that the power plants are hidden from sight by being mostly buried in the Earth, leaving the landscape unscarred.Hydro power has even come to the backyards of homeowners across the world. Everywhere the homeowner has legal access to flowing water, small hydro power generators are being installed. These small hydro electric power plants can provide supplementary power to home and reduce dependence on the national grid. While providing this additional power the generators reduce the cost of electricity. These smaller hydro power generators can often be purchased from hobby or special interest shops in kit form and are suitable for installation by anyone with a basic knowledge of engineering or even a passing interest in do it yourself projects. Hydro power projects are especially interesting to those consumers who are concerned that mankind is making more and more of a negative impact on the natural world through the use of fossil fuels. Although most of us are at least one step removed from the generation of power it should not be forgotten that most of the world’s power comes from the burning of fossil fuels, primarily coal. For this reason many are turning to alternatives like wind and solar power. Hydro power is another choice.Along with dams, large hydro power generators can now be found on coastlines across the world, where the power of the ebb and flow of tides is being harnessed to provide ecologically friendly power. Whether the consumers choose to support these large scale projects or install a home hydro electric power plant it is becoming increasingly clear that green power initiatives are here to stay and are only going to increase in popularity as an alternative to the burning of fossil fuels.