Micro-Hydro

The use of small stations to generate locally used current of between a few hundred to about a thousand watts is called Micro-Hydro power. These systems are ancient in design, being used to power some of the first mills. The use of micro hydro power today varies from direct work to stored electricity.

The hydroelectric plants that supply a great deal of electricity in the Western US differ from micro hydro in that the power plants typically use dams across large rivers. Often, micro hydro systems use the diversion of a small amount of a stream or channel to create sufficient water pressure to perform enough work to run even a small micro hydro generator.

Even water sources that are used with low head micro hydro power systems are capable of storing a great deal of charge over time, even if the micro hydro electric output is modest. However, as part of a larger renewable power system or when used to sell power back to the grid in the case of net metering, such small scale water power systems can be a valuable part of your energy budget with even a small stream on your property.

Micro hydro has the advantage of being usable on a small scale, just about anywhere there’s a supply of water to divert. Small micro hydro systems have to potential to bring electricity to some very remote locations, as long as there is enough water to divert year round. Micro hydro generators can be used with even a relatively small flow as long as it’s steady. Streams with a large head can be used to drive equipment that requires a great deal of torque.

The use of micro + hydro is especially useful in environmentally sensitive areas where populations of fish and other animals require a freely flowing river, even if a microhydro generator is busy producing current the whole while. There’s no need to spill over in the summer, unless the stream used is in danger of drying up completely.

It’s a relatively simple thing to install a homemade micro hydro power system, compared with larger hydroelectric projects. In comparison, microhydro has far fewer regulations because the impacts are much lower. Because there’s less stress on the components, once a micro hydro system is online, power output remains steady as calculator-generated figures can attest. Even after 50 years, the technology is robust enough to continue working with little or no maintenance thanks to vibration resistant sealed bearings and sturdy generators.