The most overlooked form of sustainable energy is 'Going Hydro'

In this article we'll tell you everything you need to know to get started with 'Micro-Hydro'.

Hydro power is simply harnessing a water flow that will turn a small water turbine. Streams, creeks, and natural waterfalls might all be good sources of power, and with the advent of todays modern water turbine systems, it is easier than ever to get usable electricity from flowing water.

Hydro power is not new and has been around almost from the first day when humans thought about ways to harness the power of water. The Romans themselves had huge water wheels which powered mills to grind flower for bread. Their water wheels, or turbines, were powered by water diverted down hill and over the blades of the wheels embedded in the hillside itself. Although small little wheels had been harnessing water power for about 600 years before the Romans got to them, Roman wheels were built and used on a huge scale. *

Had these wheels, or the wheels after them in medieval Europe been hooked up to wires and generators, they would have been capable of producing enormous amounts of electricity.

Now a days, for the average home owner with access to running water, the latest technology is dubbed the ‘micro water turbine’ or ‘micro-hydro’. It’s the little brother and sister to the big giant turbine units that straddle damns across the world. These micro turbines work on virtually the same principle as the big guys, with diverted water flow pressure that shoots or drops onto the turbine blades, spinning them and the attached generator.

Wires and converter boxes send usable current to a battery source, or these generators can produce AC power which can then be wired directly into the grid. Since water turbines turn 24/7, there is always power, unlike wind or solar power, both of which are completely tied into the elements to produce electricity. Cost effectiveness and obtaining your investment back over a shorter period of time means that going hydro truly gives anyone the most bang for the buck.

There are many styles, from types that look like glorified boat propellers, to designs that have multiple blades and look much like old time egg beaters. Depending on how fast your water flows, and how much of a water drop that there is or can be constructed, these factors will decide which blade design is right for you.

Ok, facts and information will give you ideas on a bit of history and what you might need, but the bottom line is, what does it take to actually get into the hydro lifestyle? Well, first and foremost, there must be a running water source. A creek, stream or river is essential, and after that, it’s only a matter of getting the water to the turbine blades. But that’s the other essential part of the hydro equation.

Fast running streams or rivers are a natural, and merely channeling water into your turbine might be all you’ll need to do. But slow running creeks are a different story altogether, because even though the power is still there, it needs to be unlocked.

The key to unlocking hydro power in a situation where there might only be a lazy meandering water flow is by the use of gravity. Once you know there is a good supply of water, gravity becomes your friend.

Streams that run down mountains or hillsides are perfect candidates for micro hydro power. In a situation like this, it may be as simple as diverting some water into a 3” pipe and then running it downhill directly to your turbine blades. A nozzle at the end to increase water pressure can shoot directly onto the blades, and quite possibly give anyone all the power that they might need.

Slower running creeks on more of a flat plain are a different story entirely. You’ll still need to harness gravity to make this work, but you’ll have to go about it in a different way.

Much like the giant hydro turbines that supply power on a national level, a dam will need to be constructed to impede the water flow, allowing pressure to build up, which can then be channeled through an outlet near the base of the damn. In hydro speak, this is called ‘the drop’ and for usable turbine power with the amount of water supplied, there should be a drop of about 3 to 5 feet in an instance like this.

Now, when we are talking dams here, don’t think of having to cordon off several acres of land and turn this into a huge construction project. Think more on the order of a 10’ by 10’ reservoir as a collection pond for the water, with a pipe on the bottom that sends gravity pressurized water directly onto the turbine blades. Certainly, some construction will be involved, but there are many ways to do this from moving earthworks that channel the water, to using posts and concrete blocks to make a wall, and other variations. In some instances, merely restricting the width of the stream to cause high pressure rapids is all that might need to be done.

With a decent running stream, a micro turbine unit to power a house and outbuildings should cost less than $5000, and when compared to wind or solar costs, that price cannot be beat. Add to the fact that power is being produced at all times day and night, and you have a real winner here in sustainable energy, second to none.

For more information, here are some manufacturers that you can contact.

WSE Technologies

Utility Fee

OGI

* http://www.uh.edu/engines/epi1161.htm