hydro
hydropower or hydroelectric power harnesses the power of moving water.
how it works
dams first create a reservoir.
when water flows through the dam, it spins a turbine inside, which drives a generator to produce electricity.
hydro systems have been around for a long time, and are considered mature and reliable sources of energy generation.
hydro currently accounts for 27% of total US utility-scale renewable electricity generation and 5.86% of total US utility-scale electricity generation.
bottlenecks
permitting, siting, & regulatory constraints.
social & political opposition.
supply chain & materials. hydro requires special materials and components such as large castings for turbines.
skills gap. there’s a dearth of skilled labor that can build and maintain hydro plants.
high upfront costs. building new hydroelectric plants is very capital-intensive, ranking second most capital-intensive on this list, behind only nuclear.
environmental impacts. hydro systems can have impacts on river ecosystems, fish populations, and local communities.
companies building in hydro
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Hydropower Program is the largest hydropower generator in the US, making it the largest renewable energy producer in the US
Duke Energy is a large electric + natural gas company with significant hydro operation, as the second largest hyrdo operator in the US
General Electric + Siemens are both suppliers of equipment for hydropower plants
Hydro-Quebec and BC Hydro are major hydropower operators
read more at this is going to be electric.