History of Hydroelectric Energy

Water has been used to perform work that would otherwise be more difficult for years. According to the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, "The Greeks used water wheels for grinding wheat into flour more than 2,000 years ago." (Department of Energy, History of Hydropower). Compared to some other sources of renewable energy it is relatively easy to harness the power of water. All you needed was a wheel and a flowing water source. Even today we still use similar methods to produce energy from water. Instead of a wheel we use turbines. The United States Geologic Survey stated, Flowing water is used to turn a turbine, which cranks up an electric generator that produces electricity (USGS). This process is used in all hydropower plants because water always wants to flow downward.