Hydropower has a long history of development and a complete industrial chain
Hydropower is a renewable energy technology that uses the kinetic energy of water to generate electricity. It is a widely used clean energy with many advantages, such as renewability, low emissions, stability and controllability. The working principle of hydropower is based on a simple concept: using the kinetic energy of water flow to drive the turbine, which then turns the generator to generate electricity. The steps of hydropower generation are: water diversion from a reservoir or river, which requires a water source, usually a reservoir (artificial reservoir) or a natural river, which provides power; water flow guidance, the water flow is guided to the blades of the turbine through the diversion channel. The diversion channel can control the flow of water flow to adjust the power generation capacity; the turbine runs, and the water flow hits the blades of the turbine to make it rotate. The turbine is similar to the wind wheel in wind power generation; the generator generates electricity, and the operation of the turbine turns the generator, which generates electricity through the principle of electromagnetic induction; power transmission, the generated electricity is transmitted to the power grid and supplied to cities, industries and households. There are many types of hydropower. According to different working principles and application scenarios, it can be divided into river power generation, reservoir power generation, tidal and ocean power generation, and small hydropower. Hydropower has multiple advantages, but also some disadvantages. The advantages are mainly: hydropower is a renewable energy source. Hydropower relies on water circulation, so it is renewable and will not be exhausted; it is a clean energy source. Hydropower does not produce greenhouse gases and air pollutants, and has little impact on the environment; it is controllable. Hydropower stations can be adjusted according to demand to provide reliable basic load power. The main disadvantages are: large-scale hydropower projects may cause damage to the ecosystem, as well as social problems such as resident migration and land expropriation; hydropower is limited by the availability of water resources, and drought or water flow decline may affect power generation capacity.
Hydropower, as a renewable form of energy, has a long history. Early water turbines and water wheels: As early as the 2nd century BC, people began to use water turbines and water wheels to drive machinery such as mills and sawmills. These machines use the kinetic energy of water flow to work. The advent of power generation: In the late 19th century, people began to use hydroelectric power plants to convert water energy into electricity. The world’s first commercial hydroelectric power plant was built in Wisconsin, USA in 1882. Construction of dams and reservoirs: In the early 20th century, the scale of hydropower expanded significantly with the construction of dams and reservoirs. Famous dam projects include the Hoover Dam in the United States and the Three Gorges Dam in China. Technological progress: Over time, hydropower technology has been continuously improved, including the introduction of turbines, turbine generators and intelligent control systems, which have improved the efficiency and reliability of hydropower.
Hydropower is a clean and renewable energy source, and its industrial chain covers several key links, including from water resource management to power transmission. The first link in the hydropower industry chain is water resource management. This includes the scheduling, storage and distribution of water flows to ensure that water can be stably supplied to turbines for power generation. Water resource management usually requires monitoring parameters such as rainfall, water flow rate and water level in order to make appropriate decisions. Modern water resource management also focuses on sustainability to ensure that power production capacity can be maintained even in extreme conditions such as drought. Dams and reservoirs are key facilities in the hydropower industry chain. Dams are usually used to raise water levels, create water pressure, and thus increase the kinetic energy of water flow. Reservoirs are used to store water to ensure that sufficient water flow can be provided during peak demand. The design and construction of dams need to consider geological conditions, water flow characteristics, and ecological impacts to ensure safety and sustainability. Turbines are the core components in the hydropower industry chain. When water flows through the blades of the turbine, its kinetic energy is converted into mechanical energy, causing the turbine to rotate. The design and type of turbine can be selected based on the speed, flow rate, and height of the water flow to achieve the highest energy efficiency. After the turbine rotates, it drives the connected generator to generate electricity. The generator is a key device that converts mechanical energy into electrical energy. Generally, the operating principle of a generator is to induce current through a rotating magnetic field to generate alternating current. The design and capacity of the generator need to be determined based on the power demand and water flow characteristics. The electricity generated by the generator is alternating current, which usually needs to be processed through a substation. The main functions of substations include step-up (increasing voltage to reduce energy loss during power transmission) and conversion of current types (converting AC to DC or vice versa) to meet the requirements of the power transmission system. The last link is power transmission. The power generated by the power station is transmitted to power users in cities, industrial areas or rural areas through transmission lines. Transmission lines need to be planned, designed and maintained to ensure that power is transmitted safely and efficiently to the destination. In some areas, power may also need to be processed again through substations to meet the needs of different voltages and frequencies.
Rich hydropower resources and sufficient hydropower generation
China is the world’s largest hydropower generating country with abundant water resources and large-scale hydropower projects. China’s hydropower industry plays a key role in meeting domestic power demand, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and improving energy structure. Social electricity consumption is a key economic indicator that reflects the level of electricity consumption in a country or region and is of great significance for measuring economic activities, power supply and environmental impact. According to the data released by the National Energy Administration, my country’s total electricity consumption has shown a stable growth trend. By the end of 2022, my country’s total electricity consumption was 863.72 billion kWh, an increase of 324.4 billion kWh from 2021, a year-on-year increase of 3.9%.
According to the data released by the China Electricity Council, the largest electricity consumption in my country is in the secondary industry, followed by the tertiary industry. The primary industry consumed 114.6 billion kWh of electricity, an increase of 10.4% over the previous year. Among them, the electricity consumption of agriculture, fishery, and animal husbandry increased by 6.3%, 12.6%, and 16.3% respectively. The comprehensive promotion of the rural revitalization strategy and the significant improvement of rural electricity conditions and the continuous improvement of electrification levels in recent years have driven the rapid growth of electricity consumption in the primary industry. The secondary industry consumed 5.70 trillion kWh of electricity, an increase of 1.2% over the previous year. Among them, the annual electricity consumption of high-tech and equipment manufacturing industries increased by 2.8%, and the annual electricity consumption of electrical machinery and equipment manufacturing, pharmaceutical manufacturing, computer communications and other electronic equipment manufacturing industries increased by more than 5%; the electricity consumption of new energy vehicle manufacturing increased significantly by 71.1%. The electricity consumption of the tertiary industry was 1.49 trillion kWh, an increase of 4.4% over the previous year. Fourth, the electricity consumption of urban and rural residents was 1.34 trillion kWh, an increase of 13.8% over the previous year.
China’s hydropower projects are distributed throughout the country, including large hydropower stations, small hydropower stations and distributed hydropower projects. Famous hydropower projects include the Three Gorges Power Station, which is one of the largest hydropower stations in China and the world, located in the Three Gorges area in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River. It has a huge power generation capacity and supplies electricity to industries and cities; Xiangjiaba Power Station, Xiangjiaba Power Station is located in Sichuan Province and is one of the largest hydropower stations in southwest China. It is located on the Jinsha River and provides electricity to the region; Sailimu Lake Power Station, Sailimu Lake Power Station is located in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and is one of the important hydropower projects in western China. It is located on Sailimu Lake and has a significant power supply function. According to the data released by the National Bureau of Statistics, my country’s hydropower generation has increased steadily year by year. By the end of 2022, my country’s hydropower generation was 1,352.195 billion kWh, an increase of 0.99% year-on-year. As of August 2023, my country’s hydropower generation was 718.74 billion kWh, a slight decrease from the same period last year, a year-on-year decrease of 0.16%. The main reason was that due to the influence of climate, rainfall in 2023 dropped significantly.
Post time: Dec-19-2024
