What are the advantages of hydropower?
What is hydropower?
Hydropower
The need to access sustainable energy has become a priority on the international agenda. In recent decades, hydropower has been established as a solution to this demand and a very valuable source of renewable energy throughout the world.
Hydropower, also known as hydroelectric power, harnesses the force of moving water to produce electricity. The use of water resources as a source of energy is an age-old practice. In the fourth century BC, the Persian empire was already using water wheels to irrigate fields and water mills for grinding grain.
Its heyday of development would come with the industrial revolution in Great Britain when it was used as an energy source for new inventions. Specifically, at the end of the 19th century, James B. Francis managed to develop a highly efficient hydraulic turbine, giving rise to the Francis turbine, capable of transforming the potential energy of water into rotational energy applied to a shaft. At present, the Francis turbine is the most widely used in renewable hydropower generation plants.
We must not confuse hydropower with tidal power, which is harnessed from the movement of sea waters caused by the tides, nor with wave power, which makes use of the movement of ocean waves to capture energy.
What types of hydropower are there?
There are several types of hydropower plants, which are categorized according to their power and how the water is channelled.
Hydropower plants based on water flow
What are the advantages of hydropower?
Contributes to sustainable development
it is a renewable and clean energy, the energy is obtained from falling water which is rain water, so it doesn’t consume resources and is non-pollutant.
Reduces external energy dependence
This type of energy offers an excellent way to reduce external energy dependence since it is an abundant resource in our country.
Efficient
Technological advances have made it possible to adapt the water flows from the power plants to the demand to guarantee supply at all times.
Driver of development
As an indigenous energy source, it promotes economic development and the generation of local employment.
Affordable
The construction of hydroelectric dams represents a significant initial investment, however, once in operation, they are very affordable and efficient production plants.
How is hydropower applied in our everyday lives?
In addition to the electricity generated in hydropower plants and small-scale plants is used to supply the power grid, there are other systems you might not know about that work similarly to hydropower.
How is Repsol involved in hydropower?
At Repsol, we want to lead the energy transition, which is why the Company has set itself the goal of achieving net zero emissions by 2050, in line with the Paris Agreement objectives and the United Nations Sustainable Development goals. This goal has been accompanied by a series of projects and investments that seek to align our entire value chain with this commitment.
In relation to our hydropower projects, it is worth highlighting the three hydropower groups, made up of a total of twelve plants, located in northern Spain (Asturias, Cantabria, and Castilla y León). The Navia, Picos, and Aguayo-Aguilarplants have an installed capacity of 697 MW, which is equivalent to the annual consumption of all the homes in Madrid.
"Aguayo II" Project: A sustainable solution
The pumping station expansion project, known as “Aguayo II” in Cantabria, is one of the latest initiatives set out in the 2021–2025 Strategic Plan in its commitment to renewable energies. The project can increase the installed capacity of the pumped storage plant by 1 GW to a total of 1.4 GW, making it the second largest facility of this kind in Spain.
One of the key aspects of the project is its compatibility with the environmental conservation of the surroundings. The Aguayo expansion combines greater efficiency in generation from renewable sources with an underground installation without impact to the landscape, providing an environmentally sustainable solution.
These projects, together with the large portfolio of services that we have developed in renewable energy, sustainability, and the circular economy, will help us reach our goal of net zero emissions by 2050.
Other renewable energies
Everything you should know about hydropower
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