Great Green Idea: Green Energy: Power Your Home With An Unlikely Source - Micro Hydroelectricity!

Power Your Home With An Unlikely Source - Micro Hydroelectricity!

Most of us are aware of the ability to use small-scale solar panels or wind turbines to generate electricity for one's home. But there are many areas where this is simply not a viable option, at least not all the time, as obviously, certain conditions must be met for power to be able to be generated (it either needs to be sunny or windy). Most of us are also aware of the capability to generate electricity via hydroelectric power, but a lot of us are unaware that hydroelectric power does not have to be generated on a massive scale a la Hoover Dam.

With improved technology, there are micro (small scale) hydroelectric power generation systems that allow you to produce up to 100 kilowatt hours of electricity using a very small amount of running water. While this is obviously not an option for a lot of folks, those with running water on their land may be able to take advantage of even the smallest stream by producing micro hydroelectric energy.

Micro hydroelectric technology uses essentially the same basic concept as traditional hydroelectric power generation, just on a much smaller scale. Running water is required as it is the power that will drive the operation. The running water causes a turbine to spin, which in turn powers a generator. As most streams of running water flow at a fairly consistent speed, you get a fairly consistent output of energy. Using batteries is a way to store any excess generation for later use.

You might assume that hydroelectric power is only an option for those who live on near a river or even on water, but chances are, you'd likely be very surprised to find out how little water is actually required to operate a micro hydroelectric system. As little flow as two gallons of water per minute, or a drop as small as two feet is sufficient for you to generate a surprising amount of hydroelectric energy.

There is no damming or pooling of water needed. The water simply flows through a piping system to turn the generator and then is "spit" back out the other side to continue on its natural course. These are secure systems as noted above, due to the fairly consistent nature of most bodies of running water.

These systems are highly sophisticated and advanced, using the latest in turbine, inverter, and battery technology to improve efficiency and even distance with which the electricity can travel to reach its destination (currently, it's about a mile). While the concept by which they operate is simple, they are highly complex and targeted systems that are designed with your environment in mind.

No longer is hydroelectric power simply for large scale electricity generation. Nor is home power generation relegated to solar and wind energy which can be intermittent. Micro hydroelectric power generation is an excellent way to produce renewable energy in a way that does very minimal harm to the surrounding environment (there is a lot of concern over the environmental impact of large scale hydroelectric plants). These systems do not require large or vast amounts of running water in order to produce energy. With the consistency of the flow of most running bodies of water, micro hydroelectric power generation is a constant source of usable energy. Any unused energy can be used to charge batteries, which in turn can provide electricity for later use.