In the past, most residential hydro systems were installed off-grid, but the numbers are growing for environmental, grid-wired generators.
If you want to be a part of this growing trend, here are some things to consider…
- You need a source of water. If you don’t have running water on your property, you can’t install a hydro generator. Pumping water uphill takes more energy than you can generate by running the water through a turbine. And energy in water that has already been pumped vertically (say, to power a cooling system on the 10th floor) is often already used to draw new water to that same height.
- Head is determined by elevation change. Those of you with a water source must have at least some slope on your property or you won’t have enough head to power a turbine. Sorry, but flat streams don’t produce any energy.
- If you are living in a boat, you might have a source of hydropower that other people don’t have at their disposal. Look into purchasing a submersible, propeller-style turbine that turns an alternator as water flows by your boat. Of course, you will need enough fast-moving current in order for the turbine to produce any energy.
- The fish are probably ok. Sometimes large dams and hydro projects disrupt wildlife in a river. Although this is the case for commercial hydropower projects, it is unlikely that you will be diverting enough water from your stream to effect fish or other marine life in a substantial way.
- If you don’t have enough head or flow to power your house, there are a number of companies that produce small, DC generators that run off small turbines. You probably won’t be able to power your house with these, but for off-grid dwellers, you can charge some batteries pretty easily, or use an inverter to power a couple electronics.Here are a few companies to jumpstart your research:
- Canyon Hydro manufactures residential hydro power systems from 4kW and up. You’ll need a third party installer to buy from this company, but the energy produced can power your home and a few others.
- The Harris Hydroelectric System (created by Don Harris, offered online through multiple vendors) consists of small Pelton turbines that use an alternator to generate modest DC current. Useful for battery charging.
- Energy Systems and Design manufactures a product similar to Harris.
More from GLI:
I am wondering about the applicability of micro hydro turbines in downspouts from residential roofs in very rainy areas like the Olympic Peninsula in Washington State
how about a 30ft wide stream that is choked down to two 36 inch x 20ft culvert pipes with about 6 inches of drop. pipe is full most of the time,80% at a minimum. is there enough potential?
Take a drinking glass and tilt it. Imagine that the water coming out of it can be used to turn a turbine. The water goes into a seoerate chamber and is valved off until the glass is tilted the other way. At this point a valve lets the water that was used back into the other (glass) to turn another turbine mounted on the other side of the glass. The idea consists of three chambers in total and will need to be made to a large scale of course (360 gallon glass) (180 gallon twin side mounted containers) pivot apparatus could be hydraulic. I believe this is possible to create more energy than is needed to pivot the glass (main container) back and forth to turn the turbine and displace the water from container to container.. neill.eric@yahoo.com