Support AIDG

Donate to AIDG
Subscribe to AIDG Newsletter
Appropriate Technologies

Experiments 
Looking for More Technical Information?
Visit AIDG.net for technical manuals, where to find component parts, and more.


Adrinka Symbol: hyew


Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 2.5 License.

Home arrow Technologies
Small Scale Hydro PDF Print E-mail

Micro-hydroelectric power, whose installations are commonly known as "run of the river," have a few big differences when compared to the giant installations found throughout the developed world.  It requires:

  • No dams to be constructed,
  • No valleys or canyons or villages to be flooded,
  • No communities to be displaced,
  • No natural beauty to be hidden underneath the surface of a reservoir.

Instead of blocking off a whole river in order to store giant quantities of water, these installations divert a small amount of water from the river to a holding tank. From the tank, the water is sent to the generating plant and then returned to the same river, minimizing the negative environmental and human impact of the technology. 

Diagram of a micro-hydroelectric system
In a micro-hydroelectric system, a small amount of water is diverted from a river or stream and sent through generators. The water is returned to the same river, minimizing negative environmental impacts.

The AIDG is currently working with three different size hydroelectric projects:

  1. Custom designs which can provide between five and 50 kW of electricity
  2. A more standardized design which can produce one to three kW, and
  3. A "pico-hydro" turbine which can produce between 50 and 100 W, enough for basic lighting for a one-family home.

Custom Designs

Pelton Turbine
Pelton Turbine. Photo by Xeni Jardin
  A custom microhydro installation is best suited for mid-sized communities of 20 to 200 families who live near a fairly constant source of water.  If the community is smaller, or if the water is only available a certain time of the year, a custom installation is often too expensive in comparison with the needs it will satisfy.

In Guatemala, these installations are based around the Pelton turbine design, a type of turbine which takes best advantage of the combination of hilly terrain and relatively low-flowing streams which characterizes a large part of the country.  These turbines, along with a large part of the other components of the system, are manufactured by the AIDG and XelaTeco, some in partnership with local specialist contractors. 

Standardized Pelton

Pelton Turbine
CAD by Alexandra Surasky-Ysasi
This project provides a standard design, which can fit a large variety of communities and rivers.  The standardization of a large number of the components, such as the Pelton turbine, generator, control system, and turbine housing, makes the fabrication and installation much more economical while still serving the needs of small communities of up to ten or fifteen families. This project is currently in development as a partnership between AIDG interns and XelaTeco.

Pico-hydroelectric

Pico-hydro provides an extremely economical electricity-generating option to families who have access to a small water source close to their home.  These mini-turbines can produce enough electricity for home lighting and small appliances, such as a radio, for much cheaper than photovoltaic solar panels and in places where wind power is not feasible. This project is also currently in development as a partnership between AIDG interns and XelaTeco.

 
< Prev   Next >
 
 
AIDG's good luck frog
Contact UsAIDG NewsNewslettersPressPrivacyDisclosureSitemapDesign CreditsAIDG BrochureEvents

AIDG, Inc. is a 501c (3) non-profit organization.
AIDG, P.O. Box 104, Weston, MA 02493. Phone: 800-401-3860 Fax: 866-450-8016