Hydroelectricity in Rhône-Alpes
What is hydroelectricity ?
Hydroelectricity or hydropower is an renewable energy producing electricity and obtained by the conversion of the waterpower of different natural water flows into electricity. Kinetic energy*(1) of water flow is transformed into mechanical energy*(2) by a turbine and then into electrical energy by a alternator.
*(1) : Kinetic energy : All moving body has a kinetic energy. Kinetic energy is the energy difference between a solid rest and the same solid in a translational motion or rotation.
*(2) : Mechanical energy : When a body is falling the position of the energy is converted into kinetic energy. This example illustrates the relationship between these two energies and leads to define a new energy: mechanical energy.
What's the point of hydroelectricity?
hydroelectricty can permit to fight against the green house effect, it could also help to have more security in electric networks, moreover this kind of energy can adjust supply and demand and it is cheaper than other renewable energies. However, this has some impacts on aquatic life and become dangerous for other use as canoeing, fishing..
What does it allow?
Hydorelectricity allows a storage of energy and electro production which is great for the electric system stability.
Hydroelectric production also allows to reduce sensibly greenhouse gas emissions. A hydraulic production of 1000kWh compared to the same amount of electricity generated by a fuel plant saves 0.220 tons of oil equivalent and avoids the emission of 690 kg of CO2.
Network electricity couldn't be stocked, the balance of an electric system could not be realized except if we always adjust production with consumption. We have to be able to change instantaneously the power produced and injected to the network.
For example "Grand mason" in Isere is the most powerful in france which can give almost the equivalent of two nuclear reactors in only few minutes
Hydroelectriciy, when it's associated to a tank (lake, dam..) is the only renewable and modular energy, and further more, it has the possibility to amplify the electric power produced quickly. It plays a really important part in security and balance of our electrical system.
The Rhone alpes région
The rhone alpes région is composed of eight counties ; Ain, Ardèche, Isère, Drôme, Savoie, Haute-Savoie (which is our county), Loire and Rhône. This is the second region of France because of its surface, its economy and its population with approximately more than 6 million inhabitants.
It also represents more than one tenth of France in economical, demographic and territorial terms.
Rhône-Alpes region
Our region has a lot of Hydroelectric resources. With a little more than 465 hydroelectric developments and an installed power rising of approximately 10,7 GW ; the annual productibility average is estimated at 28 TWh, representing approximately 40% of national electricity of hydroelectricity production. Three departments produce 70% of the productibility. The department of Savoie(27%), the department of Isère (25%) and the department of Drôme(19%).
We can distinguish 4 categories of installation, in function of the techniques of driving strength recovery of the water :
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The continuous-flow power plants ( the duration of filling under 2 hours)
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Power plants working in sluicing waters (the duration of filling, between 2 and 400 hours )
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the power plant in lakes which have a duration of filling higher than 400 hours, the power plants of pump-turbinage or resort of transfer of energy by pumping. It’s a question of raising the water in a reservoir during off-peak hours of consumption to slog during point.
The locks, the lake power plants and the resort of transfer of energy by pumping allow to produce 13 TWh flexible (45% of national capacity). These power plants contribute to the management of headland of the consumption and allow to meet the needs of adjustment. Our region has the most powerful power plants : Grand Maison, La Coche, Le Cheylas and Super Bissorte. But the principle of functioning could have an important ecological impact on the aquatic milieu (on water hydrology and on the fauna and flora in the water).
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