Low-Drop Hydroelectric Generator

Low-Drop Hydroelectric Generator ENERGY Alternative Fuels If you live near water and have or can create just a 20 to 35-ft drop you can set up a generator to power your home for about $4 000 says Bill Scott     After years of research and development the retired mechanical engineer designed a low-head hydropower cross-flow turbine generator that consistently produces 1 500 watts of energy That’s more than enough for most non-electrically heated homes which use about 1 000 watts continuously     Low-head refers to how much the water drops before going through the turbine     “I had a small creek without a lot of drop and tried other turbines on the market With low volume and low head nothing would work ” Scott says “This works like a squirrel cage made of stainless steel ”     Water coming from a source about 20 ft above the turbine is directed through a 6-in pipe with a screened inlet to keep out debris The water shoots horizontally through the turbine and turns blades to power the permanent magnet 3-phase alternator of the generator That power feeds directly into the utility grid or controls to charge batteries     Scott began working on the turbine generator after moving to Republic Wash in a remote area near the Canadian border With a $100 000 investment required to bring in electricity he first tried solar power which didn’t work well with too many cloudy snowy days With a creek nearby hydropower made the most sense and Scott has had his turbine installed for about a decade He sells a basic turbine/generator to connect into a power grid for $3 900 or $5 800 with a grid tie inverter Systems to charge batteries cost $5 250 and $7 900     “I charge just one 24-volt battery ” Scott says because he has continuous power and doesn’t need batteries for storage He has enough electricity to power his house and shop     The system runs year round since water continues to flow even when the creek freezes over One customer in Alaska runs a resort with the turbine Other turbines have gone to Belize Germany Australia and developing countries     “It works on any remote site with flowing water ” Scott says Besides residential customers he knows of a water treatment plant that uses the turbine to power a remote office A fish hatchery uses overflow water to power the hatchery     Other than occasional greasing the turbine is maintenance-free Scott says His has run for 10 years without any problems He suggests building a structure over it to protect it from snow and rain     “It’s amazing how simple but complex it can be ” he says noting it took lots of trial and error to get the forms just right for a Spokane foundry to cast the turbines     Contact Scott to find dealers in your area or order directly from him Scott welcomes dealer inquiries     Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Scott Hydroelectric P O Box 501 Republic Wash 99166 ph 509 680-4804; www scotthydroelectric com; ScottHydroelectric@outlook com

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