💧 Chapter 1 – Hydro Basics

🌊 Basics – Wonders of Moving Water

🌊 🗺️ 1.1 Where is Hydro Energy Found?

💡 Hydro Power Hunt Challenge

In this Challenge, you and your team will explore and identify potential locations where you would expect hydro energy to be located, focusing on specific regions.

✍️ Exercise: Task 1

1. Locate Hydropower Sites: Using the map, identify and mark potential locations where you think hydroelectric power plants could be built. Indicate these spots with red dots on your map.
2. Discuss the Suitability: For each location, consider the geographical features (elevation, proximity to water sources etc.) that make it a good choice for hydropower. Write down your reasons in short bullet points.
3. Rank the Locations: Arrange your chosen locations from most suitable to least suitable. (For example, indicate it with a 1, 2 … next to the red dots). Be prepared to provide some arguments for your top 3 locations.
4. Present your Findings and discuss in class!

✍️ Exercise: Task 2

🔄 Hydro Energy and Energy Conversion

• In __________ regions water can flow very fast, creating more energy.
• Water stored behind a dam has __________ energy because of its height.
• When water flows downhill due to __________, it gains __________ energy.
• The moving water spins __________, which are connected to a __________ to create electricity.
• The word “hydro” comes from the Greek word for __________.
• Hydro energy is a __________ energy source. It uses the movement of water to perform __________.
• __________ also inhabit hydro energy, which can be harnessed with innovative concepts.
• __________ are large structures built to block and control the flow of water, aiding in hydroelectric energy production.

💧 The Water Cycle

Fill in the blanks with the correct words from the word bank:

The __________ moves water around the Earth and atmosphere in different stages. First, water turns into vapor through __________ when the heat from the __________ warms it. Next, the vapor cools and turns into tiny droplets in the process called __________. These droplets come together to form clouds. Then, water falls back to the Earth as rain, snow, or hail, a process known as __________. Finally, the water collects in rivers, lakes, and oceans, completing the cycle.

📦 Word Bank:

potential, gravity, turbines, evaporation, water, precipitation, generator, mountainous, dams, condensation, water cycle, renewable, work, oceans, kinetic, sun

🌊 1.2 Rivers

The target of this exercise is to understand why rivers are a vital resource for hydro-energy. You will explore how to manage river streams effectively to harness their energy potential.

📝 Exercise

Task 1

• Team up with your seat neighbor and think about a river nearby.
• Did you experience differences in the flow of its water stream during the year?
• When and why did the water stream appear differently?
• Are there parts of the river that have quicker water streams? If so, what could cause these differences?
• You may answer in bullet points or create a sketch with descriptions.

Task 2 – Operating a Semi-Regulated River for Energy Production

Objective: Analyze a semi-regulated river for hydroelectric energy production under different scenarios. Predict outcomes, discuss challenges, and propose solutions to maintain energy production while managing other factors.

Start Scenario:

• A semi-regulated river flows through a hydroelectric power plant.
• Normal production capacity: 30 MW under average water flow conditions.

Your Role: Work individually or in small groups to analyze each scenario and answer the open-ended questions.

Scenario 1: Normal Flow

Description: The river flow is steady and the power plant operates normally, producing a constant rate of 30 MW of electricity.

1. What factors might affect the stability of this flow over time?
2. Why is it important to maintain a balance between energy production and water levels?

Task 3 – Scenario 2: Drought

Description: A prolonged drought reduces the river’s water flow significantly. Rainfall is minimal, and reservoir levels are dropping.

1. What happens to electricity production when water flow is reduced?
2. What actions could the power plant operators take to sustain energy production during the drought?
3. What are potential consequences of overusing the remaining water in the reservoir?

Task 4 – Scenario 3: Heavy Rainfall

Description: Monsoon-like rains cause a sudden surge in the river’s water level. The reservoir is at risk of overflowing, and downstream areas may face flooding.

1. Can electricity still be produced effectively when water levels are too high? Why or why not?
2. What strategies could the power plant use to manage the excess water?
3. How could this scenario impact communities and ecosystems downstream?

🌊 1.3 Oceans

The target of this exercise is to explore how the motion of ocean water can be harnessed to produce renewable energy. You will investigate technologies like tidal and wave energy systems that transform this natural motion into sustainable power sources.

📝 Exercise

Task 1 – Understanding Tides and Wave Energy

• Think about the ocean, like the Atlantic Ocean, Ghana.

1. What natural forces create tides and waves in the ocean?
2. What do you think is the largest tidal difference (highest and lowest water levels) found on earth?
3. How might we use these natural forces, like tides and waves, to generate hydropower?

⛰️ 1.4 Mountain Regions

The target of this exercise is to understand how hydro energy can be effectively harnessed in mountainous regions. You will learn about the unique challenges and opportunities presented by steep terrains and fast-flowing streams in these areas.

📝 Exercise

Task 1 – Understanding Hydro Energy in Mountainous Regions

Debating Game

Team GREEN – Location 1: High up the mountain, meaning a steep incline.
Team BLUE – Location 2: At the bottom of the mountain, meaning the incline is less steep.

1. Objective: Each team argues why their location is best for building a water wheel to generate energy.
2. Focus: Compare water motion (speed and force) and availability (volume and consistency). Which location is more environmentally sustainable considering the potential impacts on ecosystems and water resources?
3. Explain: How do these differences affect water wheel performance?

You can use this debating structure:

• Opening Statements: 2–4 minutes per team.
• Counterarguments: 2–4 minutes per team.
• Rebuttals: 1–3 minutes per team.
• Closing Statements: 1–2 minutes per team.

Now! Split into two equal groups: Team GREEN (top of the mountain) and Team BLUE (bottom of the mountain).

🌍 1.5 Catchment Area, River Basin and Environmental Impacts

The target of this exercise is to learn what a catchment area and river basin are and how they are connected to dams and reservoirs. Additionally, you will explore how these systems impact their surrounding environment.

📝 Exercise

Task 1

1. What happens when rain falls on a hill or mountain? Where does the water go?
2. How do you think water gathers into streams and rivers?
3. Draw what you imagine a “catchment area” or “river basin” might look like.

Task 2 – Understanding Dams and Reservoirs

1. Where would you place a dam to collect and store water?
2. How would the dam affect the flow of the river and the landscape around it (Up-/Downstream of the dam)?
3. Sketch a dam and reservoir using your knowledge of catchment areas and river basins.

🧪 1.6 Environmental Impacts Game

In this Challenge, you and your team will explore and identify the effects of silting, flooding, and water obstructions on land. Through a hands-on experiment, you will observe how these factors can alter the landscape, impact soil stability, and shape the environment over time.

Materials Needed:

• Plastic Box (at least A4 size)
• Sand
• Beaker with 300 ml of water
• 2 rulers
• Bucket / Sink
• Cardboard (cut to match pan width, with 2–3 cm opening in center)
• Books (to raise one side by at least 5 cm)

🔬 Exercise:

Task 1 – How does water change land?

1. Place books underneath the box, such that it raises the end of it for at least 5 cm. (make sure it’s not wobbling!)
2. Hold the beaker 10 cm above the sand and pour it onto the end in a slow, steady stream.
3. Record your observations.

Draw top-view pictures of the sand before and after pouring water on it.

Explain how the water’s movement affected the sand in your experiment. What changes did you notice, and what might these represent in a real-world environment?

Task 2 – Water Obstruction

1. Prepare the box as described in the setup.
2. Insert one ruler into the sand near the middle on the right side and another ruler on the left side of the pan.
3. Elevate the end of the box containing the sand to create an incline.
4. Hold the beaker 10 cm above the sand. Slowly and steadily pour the water onto the raised end of the pan.
5. Record your observations.

Draw top-view pictures of the sand before and after pouring water on it.

Explain how the water’s movement affected the sand in your experiment. What changes did you notice, and what might these represent in a real-world environment?

Task 3 – Water Silting & Riverbank Erosion

1. Prepare the box as described in the setup.
2. Shape a river: Use your finger or tool to form a winding river (meandering path) in the middle of the box, leading to the end of it.
3. Elevate the end of the box containing the sand to create an incline.
4. Hold the beaker 10 cm above the sand. Slowly and steadily pour the water onto the raised end of the box until it’s half empty (simulate river flow).
5. When the water is flowing in your river, increase the amount by pouring the rest of the water from the beaker faster.
6. Record your observations.

Draw top-view pictures of the sand before and after pouring water on it.

Explain how the water’s movement affected the sand in your experiment. What changes did you notice, and what might these represent in a real-world environment?

Task 4 – Water Flooding

1. Prepare the box as described in the setup.
2. Insert the cardboard into the box to act as a barrier.
3. Use a ruler or another piece of cardboard to cover the opening in the barrier, ensuring no water can flow through when you start pouring.
4. Place books underneath the end of the box with the sand to raise it. Ensure the box is stable and does not wobble.
5. Hold the beaker 5 cm above the sand. Pour all the water from the beaker onto the raised end of the pan (slow and steady) to simulate a reservoir filling up behind the barrier.
6. Simulate the Flood: Once the beaker is empty, remove the ruler or cardboard covering the opening to release the water.

Draw top-view pictures of the sand before and after pouring water on it.

Explain how the water’s movement affected the sand in your experiment. What changes did you notice, and what might these represent in a real-world environment?

⚙️ Chapter 2 – Water Wheel and Turbine Types

💡 Learn by Building and Experimenting

🛠️ 2.1 Craft Your Own Water Wheel!

🔬 Experiment

Materials you need for this experiment:

• Fully printed template of the Paper Water Wheel
• Scissors
• Paper Glue
• Waterproofing spray for paper (regular waterproofing spray)

📝 Exercise

Task 1

Carefully examine the water wheel you have built. Observe its structure closely and reflect on how it operates.

Which parts do you think are the most important for its operation? Explain your reasoning.

Task 2

Take a closer look at the buckets on your water wheel. Imagine how they work when water flows into them.

1. Why are the buckets the most important part for making the water wheel work well?
2. How can the buckets be made such that they work more efficiently/provide more power?
3. What else is a crucial parameter to get more power from a water wheel?

⚙️ 2.2 Different Turbine Types in Hydro Energy

In this chapter, you will embark on an exciting experiment involving a 3D-printed hydropower plant equipped with Francis, Pelton, and Kaplan turbines. The goal of this experiment is to help you understand the three major types of water turbines, their unique designs, and the specific conditions in which they operate most efficiently.

You will gain insight into why different turbine types are necessary to harness the energy of water effectively in various environmental and flow conditions.

📝 Exercise

Task 1 – Name the turbines you see on the pictures

Picture 1:

Picture 2:

Picture 3:

🎥 Videos and animations about the principles of operating different types of hydro turbines:

Task 2 – Guess the Why

Why do you think the types of turbines shown exist? Think about how each might work differently depending on the flow and pressure of water.

Task 3 – Match Turbine to Scenario

Which Turbine Type would you recommend for the following operation range scenarios?

1. Very high head height and low flow rate of the water
2. Low head height and high flow rate
3. Medium head height and very high flow rate

For each scenario, add a real-world location where those conditions could exist (e.g., River, Dam, Mountain Stream, etc.).

Task 4 – Turbine Types and Their Operation Ranges

Below you can find a Turbine Operation Ranges Plot.

• Indicate where Pelton, Francis, and Kaplan Turbines’ operation ranges are.
• X-axis: Flow Rate in m³/s (flow of water per second)
• Y-axis: Head height in meters
• HINT: First make a dot to indicate the general location, then draw or imagine an area that represents the typical operating zone.

💧 Chapter 3 – Factors Affecting Turbine Performance – Pelton Turbine Experiments

In this chapter, you will explore:

• The Role of Head Height in Hydro-Energy: Discover how the height of water sources impacts velocity and energy generation, guided by Torricelli’s Law.
• Water Resistance and Flow: Learn how obstacles in the water path create resistance, reducing energy output, and understand its analogy to electrical circuits.
• Water Volume and Energy Output: Understand the significance of water volume in sustaining turbine performance and optimizing energy production.
• Turbine Design and Efficiency: Dive into the importance of rotor designs, blade types, and their adaptation to different water conditions for maximum efficiency.

This chapter will provide you with a clear understanding of the mechanics and factors influencing the performance of Hydro-Energy systems, enabling you to appreciate how water is transformed into a powerful renewable energy source.

🔬 3.1 Effect of Volume on the Force of Water

🧪 Experiment

Material you need for this experiment:

• 1 empty 2-liter soda bottle
• 1 ruler
• 1 push pin
• 1 shallow tray or container to catch water
• Towel or paper towels
• Permanent marker
• Water supply
• Duct tape

🔧 Procedure

1. Fill the soda bottle with water up to the 20 cm mark.
2. Place the bottle in a shallow tray or container with the hole pointing downward to catch the water.
3. Remove the duct tape from the hole at 5 cm and let the water stream out.
4. Measure the distance the water jet projects from the hole and record the result.
5. Repeat for 15 cm, 10 cm, and 5 cm water levels, measuring each time.
6. Repeat all measurements three times for accuracy.

👉🏻  Record the result in the hydro Worksheet you got from your teacher in Chapter 3.1 – Effect of volume on the force of water –  Task 1.

📝 Task 1

1. How does the water level affect the distance the jet travels?
2. Can you think of real-life situations where this principle applies? List two examples.

🔧 3.2 – Effect of Obstacles on the Force of Water

Task 1:

This experiment will focus on the water path and how obstacles can disrupt its flow. When an obstacle intervenes, water’s movement changes significantly, affecting both its speed and energy. In this activity, we’ll explore how these disruptions impact the flow.

For this task, imagine you have a pipeline with flowing water. Midway through the pipeline, the flow encounters a significant obstacle made of one of the following materials:

Rank the materials (e.g., sponge, paper, cotton ball, plastic) from 1 to 4 based on how much they block water flow. Explain your reasoning.

🔬 Experiment

Material you need for this experiment:

• 1 empty 2-liter soda bottle
• 1 ruler
• 1 push pin
• Duct tape
• 1 shallow tray or container
• 3 wide drinking straws
• Permanent marker
• Water supply
• Obstacle materials (cotton, sponge, paper)

🔧 Procedure

1. Fill the soda bottle with water up to the 15 cm mark.
2. Place the bottle on a stable surface with the straw directed downward toward the shallow tray or container.
3. Let the water flow through the straw without any obstacles. Measure the distance the water path travels and record it.
4. Add an obstacle (cotton ball). Measure again.
5. Repeat with sponge and paper.
6. Repeat for 10 cm and 5 cm water levels.

🎯 3.3 – Effect of Head Height on Energy Generation in a Pelton Turbine

🔬 Experiment

Materials you need:

• Pelton turbine (included in the kit)
• Flexible hose to connect the water source to the turbine (included in your kit)
• Measuring tape
• Small generator connected to the Pelton turbine to measure the impact of head height changes (included in your kit, attached to the turbine)
• Water supply

🔧 Procedure

1. Fill the water tank or reservoir with water and place it at 80 cm above the turbine.
2. Open the valve or allow water to flow through the hose to power the Pelton turbine.
3. Using the multimeter, measure the voltage or current generated by the turbine and record the value.
4. Repeat the procedure with the tank elevated to 130 cm. Measure and record the voltage or current generated.
5. Finally, repeat the procedure with the tank elevated to 180 cm, recording the corresponding voltage or current generated.
6. Perform at least two trials for each height to ensure accuracy.

📝 Exercise

Task:

1. How did height affect the energy output?
2. Why does higher head height increase power?
3. How could this be applied in real-world hydro plants?

📌 In Summary

Objective: This experiment aimed to explore how variations in head height influence energy output in a Pelton turbine. By adjusting water height, you observed changes in water pressure, turbine speed, and energy generation, providing insights into real-world applications of hydropower systems.

🔌 Chapter 4 – Concepts of Grid and Combining DERs

⚡ 4.1 – Baseload and Reliability of PV, Wind and Hydro Energy

This bingo game offers a playful yet essential way to understand the varying reliabilities of renewable energy sources like PV, wind, and hydro—especially in the context of baseload and its critical role in grid stability.

Exercise

Task 1:

1. In the worksheet you received from your teacher in Chapter 4, you’ll find a table with 16 answers, each corresponding to one of 16 questions in a Question Bank.
2. Your teacher will randomly select and read one question aloud from the Question Bank.
3. Your task is to match that question with the correct answer from your sheet.
4. If you correctly match 4 in a row (horizontally, vertically, or diagonally), you score a BINGO! 🥳

⚖️ 4.2 – Energy Balancing Game

Understand the causes and effects of fluctuating renewable electricity generation when it meets varying energy demand. Explore how these fluctuations impact the energy grid, including issues like surpluses and deficits. Gain hands-on experience in identifying strategies to achieve and maintain a perfect balance within the system, ensuring grid stability and efficiency.

🧩 Exercise

On the next page, you will find an Energy Demand Sheet detailing the electricity requirements for a city over five working days (Monday to Friday). The city generates electricity using a PV & Wind park, and a hydropower plant. At the bottom of the sheet, you will see whether there is a surplus or deficit in energy during the morning, midday, or evening for each day. Your task is to guide the city through various scenarios that arise during the week, including sunny, windy, and high-demand situations.

1. Carefully analyze the energy demand and generation data provided.
2. Work through Tasks 1 to 4, using the information to solve the challenges presented for each day.
3. Apply your understanding of energy balancing to ensure the city maintains a stable and reliable electricity grid.

📅 Task 1: Monday – Explore electricity generation and demand

1. What can you tell about the electricity generation of PV, wind, and hydro?
2. Rank the reliability of the three renewable energy sources from highest to lowest.
3. What is surplus/deficit energy, and how is it calculated? Why is it important?
4. What would you consider baseload and peakload on Monday?

📅 Task 2: Tuesday

1. Calculate the surplus/deficit energy during the evening (16:00–24:00).
2. How would you handle a deficit in the energy grid? What could you do in this situation to avoid a blackout?

📅 Task 3: Wednesday

1. What happens to the demand during the street festival in town?
2. How does the surplus/deficit look during this period?
3. How can you handle this deficit without producing more energy or using storage?

📅 Task 4: Thursday & Friday

1. Calculate the deficits/surpluses for each period on Thursday and Friday.
2. Why is the city experiencing such large surpluses and deficits on these two days?
3. What should the city do to balance electricity generation and demand for Thursday and Friday?

🔌 4.3 – Design and Energy Grid Game

Now you will design and operate a simulated power grid, making decisions about energy generation, storage, and connectivity to meet the demand of a central grid while dealing with variability in energy sources.

🎯 Exercise

Material you need for this experiment:

• Grid template (provided in the workbook)
• Markers or pens
• Notebook
• One six-sided dice per energy zone (or virtual dice at dice.virtuworld.net)
• Battery tracker (drawn in notebooks, max capacity: 10 energy units)
• Demand tracker sheet (provided in the workbook)

You are given a blank grid template in Chapter 4 in your Worksheet with three energy zones (Solar, Wind, Hydro) and one central demand zone.

1. Draw connections between the energy zones and the central demand zone.
2. Decide whether to connect a battery storage and where to place it.

Each connection will cost one energy token per round.