Has anyone built a hydroelectric plant?

[AViking]

I'm considering buying some property that is next to a water source. Anyone have a clue where I would start with respect to the feasibility and costs associated with hydroelectric power? I'd want to power a few houses with it.

 

[Squeetard]

How much creek and how steep do you have? First off, you need water rights and about 600 feet of head pressure (600 foot 6" pipe running up a decent grade). Very rarely are you going to find a water source suitable for hydroelectric. google it.

If you do have the optimum scenario you can also sell power back to the grid and pay for that sucker.

 

[AViking]

It's in South America so the whole permit thing is another thing altogether. I'm pretty sure that will be ok. It's by the jungle so there's a lot of rainfall but the "head" is something I'm not sure of yet since I haven't picked out a piece of property yet. Basically though I'm looking for land next to rivers and streams.

 

[Squeetard]

You need a tons (literally tonnes)of pressure to drive a turbine that outputs enough power for a home.

 

[jaedaliu]

Are you looking to dam your stream and make a hydroelectric turbine power source?

Or are you looking to put in a water wheel and save a few bucks on electricity?

 

[edro]

Filtering is a big issue. The filters and/or turbine get clogged with debris.

There is an awesome website where a guy did this for his cabin.
He took TONS of photos and walked through the multiple months/years of work he had done.
He documented it all, along with the problems, fixes and upgrades.
I'll try to find a link.

I can't find the exact project I recall, but it might be listed here.
http://www.builditsolar.com/Projects/Hydro/hydro.htm

 

[FleshLight]

You'll need a geotechnical survey of the surrounding geology, a hydrology and hydraulics analysis of the watershed, an environmental impact survey, cost-benefit analysis, an approval from the regulatory body that regulates dams, etc

 

[bignateyk]

Wouldn't it just be easier/more eco friendly/cheaper to just install solar panels?

You're probably going to have a build a dam to have a prayer of generating enough power for multiple houses.

 

[NetWareHead]

I'm considering buying some property that is next to a water source. Anyone have a clue where I would start with respect to the feasibility and costs associated with hydroelectric power? I'd want to power a few houses with it.

Look up "micro hydro" and "pico hydro"

http://ludens.cl/paradise/turbine/turbine.html is a great project but look at the amount of work he had to do!

He has about 30/liters per second (roughly 7.5 gallons) of flow through the system so it is not a huge system. His power output is 4 kw and has potential for double that. Not sure what your electrical needs are but 4 kw would not power a typical house with a few appliances in it without juggling the loads.

The good thign about hydro is that it is generally considered more reliable than solar or wind; water will usually flow all season round.

 

[z1ggy]

Let me guess... buying some homes to start up an illegal drug ring huh.. I'll not be a part of this!

 

[rudeguy]

Let me guess... buying some homes to start up an illegal drug ring huh.. I'll not be a part of this!

pssh...I will!

From now on you may call me Hindenburg.

 

[Jimzz]

Also, at least in the US, you can't just dam up a water supply. Water rights go down with the entire stream/river not just on your land.

i.e. you dam it up and start making electricity. Well land owner 5 miles up from you sees it and dams at his location and dry's you out.

 

[DrPizza]

I'm in NY, and have been planning to eventually do this on my stream. At that time, I'll be putting in a 10 foot dam. No permit is needed, no engineering study is needed, etc., as long as the dam is 10 feet or less, and the water is less than (I think it's an acre) - regulations are on the DEC's site. I've already verified that my stream isn't a protected waterway; thus I'm good there. I have outstanding flow a few days each month from Dec through April, and occasionally the rest of the year, with the spring thaw being the source of the highest amount of flow.

Already been in discussion with a bunch of guys from a generator maintenance/supply/installation company (generators up to a few megawatts). We're thinking I can probably run a 14.4 kilowatt generator from it.

Not sure when I'll get around to it - it's a matter of a lot of other projects in front of it. It'll probably never pay for itself - the cost of the project will be more than any amount of money I save in electricity. But: A. It's cool to have your own hydroelectric plant. B. BIG pond for raising fish.



Also, per Squeetard - if I wanted to go 6" pipe, 600 feet, upgrade, not a problem to do that either. I don't know where you're going with that idea - if you have plans/drawings/website, it'd be appreciated. But, that would give me a much greater head than 10 feet. It'd also probably be simpler, though would squish most of the plans for a pond, or would they... Hmmmmm....

 

[Albatross]

Really nice,that guy with the microhydro.

 

[DrPizza]

Also, at least in the US, you can't just dam up a water supply. Water rights go down with the entire stream/river not just on your land.

i.e. you dam it up and start making electricity. Well land owner 5 miles up from you sees it and dams at his location and dry's you out.

What you're referring to is more common in the Western U.S., not the entire U.S.
Yes, I *can* just dam up a water supply.

Re: that other landowner (mentioned a few posts up) - A thousand or so acres of stateland is what's upstream of me.

 

[Brian Stirling]

Look up "micro hydro" and "pico hydro"

http://ludens.cl/paradise/turbine/turbine.html is a great project but look at the amount of work he had to do!

He has about 30/liters per second (roughly 7.5 gallons) of flow through the system so it is not a huge system. His power output is 4 kw and has potential for double that. Not sure what your electrical needs are but 4 kw would not power a typical house with a few appliances in it without juggling the loads.

The good thign about hydro is that it is generally considered more reliable than solar or wind; water will usually flow all season round.

Well, if a home consumes, on average, about 50kWHrs/day and this turbine produces 4kW then in a day it would produce 96kWHrs or nearly twice what he might need. The power is too low for peak demands but that could be handled with batteries.


Brian

 

[JTsyo]

What you're referring to is more common in the Western U.S., not the entire U.S.
Yes, I *can* just dam up a water supply.

Re: that other landowner (mentioned a few posts up) - A thousand or so acres of stateland is what's upstream of me.

How about downstream? Will the flow be the same after the dam fills up?

 

[jaedaliu]

How about downstream? Will the flow be the same after the dam fills up?

Yeah. Once the pond size is set, he'll be releasing however much water that comes in.

 

[jagec]

Yes. A lot of the info that you're getting here won't be relevant for a jungle installation in South America.

Sent PM.

 

[AViking]

Yes. A lot of the info that you're getting here won't be relevant for a jungle installation in South America.

Sent PM.

Thanks. I'm going to read it now.

 

[rudeguy]

Thanks. I'm going to read it now.

this made me LOL

 

[JEDIYoda]

I'm in NY, and have been planning to eventually do this on my stream. At that time, I'll be putting in a 10 foot dam. No permit is needed, no engineering study is needed, etc., as long as the dam is 10 feet or less, and the water is less than (I think it's an acre) - regulations are on the DEC's site. I've already verified that my stream isn't a protected waterway; thus I'm good there. I have outstanding flow a few days each month from Dec through April, and occasionally the rest of the year, with the spring thaw being the source of the highest amount of flow.

Already been in discussion with a bunch of guys from a generator maintenance/supply/installation company (generators up to a few megawatts). We're thinking I can probably run a 14.4 kilowatt generator from it.

Not sure when I'll get around to it - it's a matter of a lot of other projects in front of it. It'll probably never pay for itself - the cost of the project will be more than any amount of money I save in electricity. But: A. It's cool to have your own hydroelectric plant. B. BIG pond for raising fish.



Also, per Squeetard - if I wanted to go 6" pipe, 600 feet, upgrade, not a problem to do that either. I don't know where you're going with that idea - if you have plans/drawings/website, it'd be appreciated. But, that would give me a much greater head than 10 feet. It'd also probably be simpler, though would squish most of the plans for a pond, or would they... Hmmmmm....

Not to mention at parties when you are hobnobbing with the rich and famous you would most likely be the only person with their very own hydro electric plant.....

 

[rcpratt]

this made me LOL

Thanks. I just read your post.

 

[rudeguy]

Thanks. I just read your post.

glad you liked it

I clicked reply

 

[lozina]

Its one of those ideas that sound great at first but then you quickly get buried by the mountain of details