Impoundment
Impoundment is the most common type of hydropower plant,
which uses a dam to hold a large volume of river water in a
reservoir. This large volume of water then flows through a
channel to the turbine near the bottom of the dam. This high
velocity water then turns a turbine that spins a generator to
generate electricity.
Photo Taken From Here
Diversion
The diversion method of hydroelectric energy generation is
very similar to the impoundment method, however instead of
using a dam, a portion of the river is diverted into a channel
that flows directly into the turbine.
Pumped-Storage Facility
This type of hydroelectric energy generation stores energy
for later use, similar to a battery. Energy is used to pump
water from a low elevation river to a reservoir at a higher
elevation with energy gathered from hydropower, or any other
type of power generation. Large volumes of water are stored in
the reservoir until a high amount of electricity is needed,
when this happens, the reservoir is released through a turbine
system that generates the needed electricity.
Linked is an informative video produced by energy.gov.
Hydroelectricity Facts
Not Common in the USA
Only 3% of the 80,000 dams in the USA are currently being used to generate electricity. See More Here…
Largest Producer of Renewable Energy Globally
Hydroelectric energy generates nearly 60% of all renewable
energy produced today, which is nearly 16% of all energy
produced.
See More Here…
Efficiency
Electricity produced using fossil fuels typically have an
efficiency of about 50%, while hydropower turbines can be up
to 90% efficient.
See More Here…
Photo Taken From Here