James&Pocholo

**__ What is energy? __** Energy is a power source that we use all the time. There are lots of types of energy that we survive with and provide with, such as kinetic, potential, thermal, gravitational, sound energy, light energy, elastic, electromagnetic, chemical, nuclear, and mass. Energy is used for everything such as transportation, electricity generation, and etc. Our body also needs energy to function so that we can move, play, and etc. Energy is a valuable part of our lives and we need to provide as much as we can because we all use energy and since we reproduce we are going to need more energy than before. __Link :__ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Energy   __ What is hydro power? __

Hydro power is energy that we get from water source by using technology. Example dams. Dams are those big steel and concrete wall that blocks water flow from rivers, and streams. <-- Dam About 24% of power comes from hydro energy. Hydro energy is renewable so that we can recycle through and use it again and again. Hydropower doesn't pollute air but the generators that is used to produce energy can damage the environment and it could harm the animals and plants communities. Another way to create electricity from hydro is to build a micro-hydro power. Micro-hydro power is a windmill with a generator that provides energy. It is kind of like dam but it uses windmill to create energy. Micro-hydro power works by letting small amount of water at a time to let the water hit the mill and the mill will be connected to the generator. The generator creates the energy that we use. Coquitlam has the BC Hydro which creates us energy by using H2O. BC Hydro is the hydro electric company that is responsible for clean water, land, and air resource. Their challange is to find effective ways to minimize the environmental effects of our operation and still meet their responsibility to supply low cost of electricity to customers. The BC Hydro remain commuted to protecting fish, and fish habitat enhancing wild life resources finding a balance between the competing interests for water use and limiting our contribution to climate change. The BC hydro is trying to save gas to have less global effect on us. Dams are great for electricity generating but it damages our environment because dams creates water height to increase because they block the water pathway. So they kills trees, plants, and animals habitats. If they do get damaged its bad for our environment and also the living animals and plants and some will die but some might be able to survive through. Dams could also destroy the fish habitat and also fishes. Dams can effect on us because they can replace land with water so we would have less spaces to build for our shelters. __Link :__ http://www.howstuffworks.com/hydropower-plant.htm http://www.bchydro.com/environment/waterlandair/waterlandair1769.html How Dams Work __ **
 * __

This is how dam works. Dam trap the water resource from a stream or a river. More water it traps the more power we will recieve. The dams let small amount of water at a time towards penstock, and then the small stream hits the turbine which will spin the generator. Then the power house on top of generator with cords connected to long distance power lines. After the water goes through the turbine the small stream will be connected to the river which will flow again. And this is how hydro electric dams work. __Link :__ [|http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/hyhowworks.html 

media type="youtube" key="rE2VKRCjEqo&hl=en" height="355" width="425"

__ Micro Hydro Electricity __

For another example there is micro hydro. Micro hydro is a very small electricity generator that is useful but doesnt harm much animal habitat or living plants. Micro hydro just needs a river flow, a penstock that is connected to the stream, electricity generator and powerhouse. Micro hydro is used by making the penstock connected to the stream and connects it back to the stream by where it goes. In between by the penstock which is connected to the streams they put a little turbine that spins while the water is traveling and that turbine is also connected to the generator which is connected to the powerhouse. It is similar to the dams but its more simpler and smaller to use it to generate power for your house. Micro hydro creates less energy than dams but it is still useful for couple people at a time to use the energy from micro hydro. __Link :__ [|http://www.elements.nb.ca/Theme/energy/micro/micro.htm media type="youtube" key="S4B2gODY3Mk&hl=en" height="355" width="425" By. __James Kim (JK47)__ & // Pocholo Concepcion //