Comments on: Micro Hydro Power – Pros and Cons

By: iddi

iddi — Thu, 03 Feb 2011 10:27:24 +0000

what is the formula for calculating the number of jets required for turbine?

By: Matt Crume

Matt Crume — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 04:42:17 +0000

This is a great site outlineing some pros and cons of micro-hydro. If anyone has any questions feel free to visit my site, http://www.rockyhydro.com

We have a free micro-hydro calculator, and can provide low head and high head systems for smaller sites.

By: bbop

bbop — Sat, 22 Jan 2011 16:53:38 +0000

can you create hydro power in a pool using the pool pump as the source?

By: Toby

Toby — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 03:16:19 +0000

Man made Artesian Water Well. Free flows a few thousand vertical feet down from the surface of the well bore up eight inch casing and flows 25 gallons a minute and builds up to 100 PSI.

I wonder if I could fill a water tower and allow less flow down a pipe to turn turbine and use the free flow to dill tower?? Then i could create substantial Head an gpm yet to be determined?

By: Ronny

Ronny — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 20:05:02 +0000

I have an enjoyable situation- unique with few exceptions, in that I own an old grits mill pond (aprx. 12 acres) with a measured water flow of aprx. 750GPM and head (depth at my spillway) aprx. 16 feet. I am reasonably certain some type of power generation system could be used and installed here (house is aprx. 200 feet of spillway), but can’t find anyone able to be of realistic assistance. Not int’d in selling power back to power co. (no win situation), but to supply or supplement my own use. any help out there? Thanks

By: Rick

Rick — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 21:54:13 +0000

Could a small scale hydro system be set up on a recirculating type system, such as recirculated grey water?

By: Tony B

Tony B — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 12:55:14 +0000

RE: #31

Thanks Jack, that’s exactly what I was trying to find.

By: Rich

Rich — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 16:58:58 +0000

There is some technology on a large scale.
I have been working on it at a smaller scale.

By: Jack

Jack — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 06:17:33 +0000

#30 Tony B., yes.
Google “”Riverside in-pipe turbine project first of its kind”, and you’ll find the February 25, 2010 press release including pictures of this 2-7 kw turbine generator powered by water flow within a 48-inch pipe.

By: Tony B

Tony B — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 18:13:36 +0000

Has anyone ever heard of micro hydro turbines used in storm sewer or water main pipes rather than above ground? Just curious if the technology exists.

By: Jack

Jack — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 21:39:39 +0000

#25 M.Daulat Hussain February 2nd, 2010 wrote: “Small power generation is very important and essential for irrigation to forest and hilly areas where electricity supply is not available and the small power generation system will be sustainable to that places.”

When irrigation is the desire, opt for mechanical over electrical generation. I love micro hydro power as much as anyone, yet ram pump costs one-tenth what a micro hydro generator does, even before adding an electric pump. It’s also simple, centuries-plus (1774) proven technology that requires no maintenance and can be bought off-the-shelf or build your own from plumbing parts. A ram pump will operate at 15-10% efficiency, or for every eight – ten gallons running through it, it pumps one gallon up hill.

By: Freddy Akuffo

Freddy Akuffo — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 07:58:06 +0000

Hi ,

A friend of mine wants to construct a 100kw capacity mini hydro in his country to help boost power supply. Is this feasible? At what point does it stop being a micro dam? How would you go about this? Need some thoughts on this..

By: magnet

magnet — Mon, 24 May 2010 03:17:20 +0000

where’s the STEP BY STEP “HOW WAS IT DONE”.
maybe its like this:
1st you bought a generator with permanent magnet on it then dismantle it and then again take only the DYNAMO.
2nd make a turbine
3rd put them together
4th install it on the river, creek etc…
5th trial and error.
6th ask an electrical engineer
7th pay some one to do it

By: Frank

Frank — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 16:19:55 +0000

This site may help to all. https://www.powerspout.com/

By: M.Daulat Hussain

M.Daulat Hussain — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 13:44:47 +0000

Small power generation is very important and essential for irrigation to forest and hilly areas where electricity supply is not available and the small power generation system will be sustainable to that places.

By: Bolden

Bolden — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 05:48:48 +0000

Ok so, I’m seriously thinking of doing this. I’ve heard a lot of mumbo jumbo and I’m new so I sort of take everything with a grain of salt. Is it really that much more cost effective to go microhydro for a small single dwelling home, wood heat, (although electric heat would be nice too), not worried about a/c. and at this point single male so that helps right? what is an approximate yearly cost? thanks for your knowledge and help!

By: Hugh Simpson

Hugh Simpson — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 20:57:23 +0000

Just found this site and I wanted to know if there are people here that have had experience of using a fast running river instead of just a stream. We have numerous high waterfalls and a river that is one of the best kayak rivers in the SE USA.

I manufacture dodecahedron dome homes and will be relocating my company to Tellico Plains, TN where the Tellico River is. We are coming up with a Village in a Box concept that includes my friend’s Aquaponics System called Farm in a Box.

By: JessW

JessW — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 03:59:08 +0000

By keeping the in stream flow changes to an appropriate minimum you can get the best in efficient renewable power production.

By: Azmat A Shah

Azmat A Shah — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 05:55:49 +0000

There is power shortage in third world countries all over the globe. As a result load shedding is necessitated to overcome this shortfall. In order to meet energy demand in our homes, think of producing 5kw electricity with water turbine, availing facility like solar energy to pump water to overhead tank to create head for power generation. This can solve our power problem especially in Pakistan. The point is to convince turbine manufacturers to keep the prices to our capacity.

By: patrick andrews

patrick andrews — Fri, 08 May 2009 23:14:14 +0000

So with all this micro hydro… could it be put into an area w/ clean treated wastewater running through it? Looking into alternative energy for my wastewater plant in upper New York so any input would be appreciated.