History of Hydropower

People have been benefiting from the power of water for more than two thousand years starting with the wooden waterwheel. Water wheels were used to grind wheat into flour as early as 100 B.C in many parts of Asia mostly for milling grain. Improved engineering skills during the 19th century, combined with the need to generate electricity, modern-day turbines gradually replaced the water wheel and soil and rock dams were built to control the flow of water and produce electricity. The golden age of hydropower started at the beginning of the 20th century before oil took the lead in energy generation. Europe and North America built large hydropower plants, equipment suppliers spread to supply this thriving business.