Hydropower, or hydroelectric power, is a renewable source of energy that generates power by using a dam or diversion structure to alter the natural flow of a river or other body of water.

Hydropower (from Ancient Greek ὑδρο -, "water"), also known as water power or water energy, is the use of falling or fast-running water to produce electricity or to power machines.

At hydropower plants water flows through a pipe, or penstock, then pushes against and turns blades in a turbine that spin to power a generator to produce electricity.

Nov 14, 2025 · hydroelectric power, electricity produced from generators driven by turbines that convert the potential energy of falling or fast-flowing water into mechanical energy.

There are four main types of hydropower plants: run-of-river, storage, pumped storage and offshore hydropower. Only a small minority of the world's dams are built for hydropower, with the majority …

Nov 26, 2025 · Discover how hydropower generates clean electricity. Learn the complete process from water flow to power grid, including turbines, generators, and efficiency factors.

Hydropower is essential to our clean energy future. Solar, wind and battery storage may grab the headlines, yet a simple truth is often overlooked: we can’t achieve deep decarbonization of our …

Oct 8, 2025 · Hydropower is energy created from fresh, moving water. Over 2,000 years ago, the ancient Greeks used the power in rivers and streams to rotate wooden wheels and crush grain to …

Hydropower is derived from flowing of water that powers a turbine. It is one of the oldest sources of renewable energy, having been used already in pre-industrial times, for instance, in watermills.

Mar 25, 2024 · Hydropower is one of the largest producers of renewable energy today. It also plays an important role in supporting other renewable energy sources such as fast-growing solar and wind …