Water Power

Water power is viewed as something that could potentially be the solution to powering everything we use on planet earth.

We can't live without water and three-quarters of our planet is covered with it. And, water contains a tremendous amount of potential energy if it can be utilized correctly.

So, how do we humans extract energy from water?

Well, water has weight and can be very powerful when enough of it is pushing/pulling on something. Water also varies in temperature from hot to cold. Most of the energy that we currently use (and will use in the near future) from water is from the actual movement and temperature changes of water.

A water molecule is made from two particles of hydrogen and one particle of oxygen. Aside from movement energy, another way of acquiring energy from water is the extraction of those hydrogen atoms from water molecules and burning them in combustion. This hydrogen extraction will be explained in more detail later.

How Does Water Move On Earth? Our earth spins (obvious, we know) and this spin of the earth causes gravitational shifting of the land masses, wind and weather, and temperature changes. These changes cause ocean currents, flowing rivers, rains and tides. Other motion properties found in water: The gravity of the moon orbiting the earth causes high and low tides. The temperature changes can be significant from northern to southern climates. Wind and weather caused by heat (or lack of heat) from the sun affects water movement. All of these things cause the constant movement of water on our planet. It never stops. This movement is in the seas, the oceans, the rivers and in estuaries. Most bodies of water are in a constant state of movement except for stationary lakes, but even they rise and fall with rainfall and drought.

To extract usable energy from water, we must learn to transform this movement, temperature, and hydrogen energy into other forms of energy.

Using water power is not a new concept. However, the methods we presently use are much better than ever before in history, and more and more methods have been discovered as technology (and human knowledge) advances. And they will only continue to improve in the future.

Types of Water Power

Currently, there are primarily 6 ways that we can utilize/create water power:

• Tidal Power - Tides rise and fall (again because of currents and the moon's gravity). This rise and fall of water is a motion that can be utilized to create or generate electricity.


• Wave Power - Waves, themselves, cause an up and down motion of the surface of water. This motion energy can be captured for use in generating electrical energy by placing floating devices on the surface of the water - which the waves push up and down repeatedly. Click here to learn more about wave power.


• Offshore Power - Offshore ocean water contains heat energy (created by the sun) and wind energy from storms and winds out over the water.


• Micro-Hydro Power - Smaller areas can utilize hydro-power from waterfalls and smaller bodies of water with small, "mini" generators. (Typically in areas like smaller islands or remote locations)


• Hydro-electric Power - Rivers and bigger moving bodies of water can be controlled and redirected, and the water movement energy is converted to electricity by large electrical generators.


• Hydrogen - Hydrogen molecules can be derived from water by splitting water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen, then capturing the hydrogen for burning in combustion.

What needs to happen for us to see this energy used more prevalently? Investment in the infrastructure and the setup of these technologies and more interest and usage by more people.

The future still holds a lot of potential for water power. We have yet to see even a small percentage of the possible potential for this technology.

Once costs are lower and more companies and investors begin showing interest in the energy potential of water power, it could indefinitely provide for most of our energy needs as far into the future as anyone can see...

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