Hydroelectric Power - Water power - micro hydro systems
There is no pollution and least running cost in Micro hydro power. But Micro hydro power is probably the least common of the three readily used renewable energy sources, but it has the potential to produce the most power, more reliably than solar or wind power if you have the right site. If you have river with minimum head of 5 to 6 meter then you can make your own small micro hydro plant. Micro hydro plant is the necessity of our country and for the sustainable development we need it badly. you can establish it easily.
How does it work?
It just convert the mechanical energy in to electrical energy using a generator. A typical hydropower plant includes a dam, reservoir, penstocks (pipes), a powerhouse and an electrical power substation. The dam stores water and creates the head; penstocks carry water from the reservoir to turbines inside the powerhouse; the water rotates the turbines, which drive generators that produce electricity. The electricity is then transmitted to a substation where transformers increase voltage to allow transmission to homes, businesses and factories.
Types of Hydropower Plants
Conventional
i have seen only run-of-river and storage plants in conventional type of hydro power. it uses only one way of water to produce electricity in micro hydro plant.
Run-of-river plants—These plants use little, if any, stored water to provide water flow through the turbines. Although some plants store a day or week's worth of water, weather changes—especially seasonal changes—cause run-of-river plants to experience significant fluctuations in power output.


Storage plants—These plants can store water for off season i.e. the season when there shall be no water at all.Large dams can store several years worth of water.




pumped storage plants
In contrast to conventional hydropower plants, pumped storage plants use water in micro hydro pant. After water initially produces electricity, it flows from the turbines into a lower reservoir located below the dam. During off-peak hours (periods of low energy demand), some of the water is pumped into an upper reservoir and reused during periods of peak-demand.

Building Hydropower Plants

In addition to generating electricity, dams and reservoirs provide flood control, water supply, irrigation, transportation, recreation and refugees for fish and birds. Private utilities also build hydropower plants, although not as many as government agencies. You can take help of govt. for establishment of micro hydro plant.
Benefits

Hydropower is a clean, domestic and renewable source of energy. Hydropower plants provide inexpensive electricity and produce no pollution. And, unlike other energy sources such as fossil fuels, water is not destroyed during the production of electricity—it can be reused for other purposes.
Obstacles

Micro Hydropower plants can significantly impact the surrounding area—reservoirs can cover towns, scenic locations and farmland, as well as affect fish and wildlife habitat. To mitigate impact on migration patterns and wildlife habitats, dams maintain a steady stream flow and can be designed or retrofitted with fish ladders and fishways to help fish migrate upstream to spawn.
Potential

The best sites for hydroelectric plants are swift-flowing rivers or steams, mountainous regions and areas with heavy rainfall. We have lot of resources in Himachal pardesh and in north east region to produce Hydorpower plant. But we are using very least of them for producing electricity.All those resources goes in waste.