wasabi
Platinum Member
With the east coast drought now being replaced by deluges, I thought this might be a timely topic. /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif
Seriously, has anyone here actually done this? We have decent year-round stream flow (estimated average with a weir at 200 gpm), and significant vertical fall (can easily capture 200 ft), on our mountain property. It would seem that borrowing the water to produce electricity, then returning to stream, creates no foul. The toughest part (aside from fairly gnarly electronics) would seem to be creating small dams, placing equipment and trenching for pipes and wire. Good news is that all that work requires seat time. /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif/w3tcompact/icons/grin.gif
I've done web searches and read up on specifications and recommendations. Up front costs don't seem unrealistic, nor does the payback period, but before tackling, I'd like to talk with others who have actually done this.
Seriously, has anyone here actually done this? We have decent year-round stream flow (estimated average with a weir at 200 gpm), and significant vertical fall (can easily capture 200 ft), on our mountain property. It would seem that borrowing the water to produce electricity, then returning to stream, creates no foul. The toughest part (aside from fairly gnarly electronics) would seem to be creating small dams, placing equipment and trenching for pipes and wire. Good news is that all that work requires seat time. /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif/w3tcompact/icons/grin.gif
I've done web searches and read up on specifications and recommendations. Up front costs don't seem unrealistic, nor does the payback period, but before tackling, I'd like to talk with others who have actually done this.