Micro-hydro Generators
If you are lucky enough to have a water resource on your property that is capable of producing electricity then a micro-hydro generator could be used to produce AC power directly to your load or DC power to charge a battery bank. It is possible to use a very wide range of head and flow combinations to make useable power, and even power outputs of 100 or 200 watts continuously can add up to make a significant contribution to daily power needs for an off-grid house.
To get an indication of the viability of your resource, take the available flow rate of the stream in litres per second, multiply it by the available “head” or fall in metres, and then by five and this will give you an estimated power output in watts.
For example, if you have 10 litres per second, and a 30m head, then you could generate 1500 watts.
There are many different types of micro-hydro generators available, depending on whether you have high flow / low head or low flow/ high head, and whether the turbine is situated in or remote from the stream bed.
Smart Energy can advise you on what type of turbine is best suited for your location and requirements.