mhdr:micro-hydro

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mhdr:micro-hydro [2025/12/05 10:37] – created - external edit 127.0.0.1mhdr:micro-hydro [2026/05/15 14:53] (current) – [Further resources] Dave Darby
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-# Micro-hydro+This topic is part of [[gt:power|Power & heating]]. 
 +====== Micro-hydro ======
  
  
-![](https://www.lowimpact.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/microhydro.jpg)+![](wiki:micro-hydro.jpg)
  
 --- ---
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-## What is micro-hydro?+===== What is micro-hydro? =====
  
 A micro-hydro system converts the potential energy in a stream of moving water into electrical energy. The principles of hydropower are the same whatever the size of the system. Micro-hydro refers to small systems that can be installed by individual homes, businesses or farms. A micro-hydro system converts the potential energy in a stream of moving water into electrical energy. The principles of hydropower are the same whatever the size of the system. Micro-hydro refers to small systems that can be installed by individual homes, businesses or farms.
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 ![Micro hydro](https://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/wp-content/uploads/watermill.jpg) ![Micro hydro](https://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/wp-content/uploads/watermill.jpg)
 <caption> <caption>
- Old-style watermill, originally used for milling grain, can be used to generate electricity.+ _Old-style watermill, originally used for milling grain, can be used to generate electricity._
 </caption> </caption>
 </figure> </figure>
 </WRAP> </WRAP>
  
-### History+==== History ====
  
 Hydropower has been utilised since ancient times, via waterwheels for milling grain and lifting water for irrigation. Turbines that generate electricity were first developed in the late 19th century. Hydropower has been utilised since ancient times, via waterwheels for milling grain and lifting water for irrigation. Turbines that generate electricity were first developed in the late 19th century.
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 </WRAP> </WRAP>
  
-### Types of turbine+==== Types of turbine ====
  
 **Pelton:** typically used for high-head sites (large vertical drop, usually in the upper courses of rivers); operating head starts around 50m and can be over 1000m, with flow over 2000 litres / second. They’re like breakfast bowls mounted on a spindle, hit with a jet of high-pressure water. **Pelton:** typically used for high-head sites (large vertical drop, usually in the upper courses of rivers); operating head starts around 50m and can be over 1000m, with flow over 2000 litres / second. They’re like breakfast bowls mounted on a spindle, hit with a jet of high-pressure water.
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-## What are the benefits of micro-hydro?+===== What are the benefits of micro-hydro? =====
  
 There are all the usual benefits of renewable energy generation, in that it avoids the burning of fossil fuels, with their associated pollution and carbon emissions. Plus it’s one of the more efficient renewable technologies. The load (or capacity) factor on small hydro is typically around 45% (load factor is the ratio of energy output per year to the maximum output if the system works at full-rated capacity all year round). PV is typically around 8-9%, and a 250kW wind turbine is in the 18-22% range, depending on the site. There are all the usual benefits of renewable energy generation, in that it avoids the burning of fossil fuels, with their associated pollution and carbon emissions. Plus it’s one of the more efficient renewable technologies. The load (or capacity) factor on small hydro is typically around 45% (load factor is the ratio of energy output per year to the maximum output if the system works at full-rated capacity all year round). PV is typically around 8-9%, and a 250kW wind turbine is in the 18-22% range, depending on the site.
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 ![Micro-hydro](https://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/wp-content/uploads/archimedes.jpg) ![Micro-hydro](https://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/wp-content/uploads/archimedes.jpg)
 <caption> <caption>
- Archimedes screw turbine. (image: [Hydro NI](http://www.hydroni.co.uk/))+ _Archimedes screw turbine. (image: [Hydro NI](http://www.hydroni.co.uk/))_
 </caption> </caption>
 </figure> </figure>
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 ![Micro-hydro](https://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/wp-content/uploads/micro-hydro-kaplan-manufacture.jpg) ![Micro-hydro](https://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/wp-content/uploads/micro-hydro-kaplan-manufacture.jpg)
 <caption> <caption>
- Kaplan turbine in manufacture, showing blades.   (images: [Hydro NI](http://www.hydroni.co.uk/))+ _Kaplan turbine in manufacture, showing blades.   (images: [Hydro NI](http://www.hydroni.co.uk/))_
 </caption> </caption>
 </figure> </figure>
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-## What can I do?+===== What can I do? =====
  
 If you live near a stream and you’re thinking of installing micro-hydro, first you have to think about where your intake would be, and do you own the land on both sides of the stream in that location (often a land boundary is in the middle of a stream, which means you can’t build a weir right across the stream if you don’t own the far bank). You really want your input to be as far upstream as possible. So for small gardens, it wouldn’t really work (unless you have a waterfall, which is unlikely), and for farms, the best location would the the upper boundary of the property. If you live near a stream and you’re thinking of installing micro-hydro, first you have to think about where your intake would be, and do you own the land on both sides of the stream in that location (often a land boundary is in the middle of a stream, which means you can’t build a weir right across the stream if you don’t own the far bank). You really want your input to be as far upstream as possible. So for small gardens, it wouldn’t really work (unless you have a waterfall, which is unlikely), and for farms, the best location would the the upper boundary of the property.
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 ![](https://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/wp-content/uploads/turbine-chart.png) ![](https://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/wp-content/uploads/turbine-chart.png)
 <caption> <caption>
- You can find hydroturbine charts like this online, showing which turbines are suitable for different head (y axis) and flow (x axis).+ _You can find hydroturbine charts like this online, showing which turbines are suitable for different head (y axis) and flow (x axis)._
 </caption> </caption>
 </figure> </figure>
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 ![](https://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/wp-content/uploads/head-hydro.jpg) ![](https://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/wp-content/uploads/head-hydro.jpg)
 <caption> <caption>
- From the top: high-head site (upper reaches of river); medium-head site (middle reaches); low-head site (lower reaches).   (images: [Hydro NI](http://www.hydroni.co.uk/))+ _From the top: high-head site (upper reaches of river); medium-head site (middle reaches); low-head site (lower reaches).   (images: [Hydro NI](http://www.hydroni.co.uk/))_
 </caption> </caption>
 </figure> </figure>
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 ![Micro-hydro](https://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/wp-content/uploads/micro-hydro-operation.jpg) ![Micro-hydro](https://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/wp-content/uploads/micro-hydro-operation.jpg)
 <caption> <caption>
- Micro-hydro turbine in operation.   (image: [Hydro NI](http://www.hydroni.co.uk/))+ _Micro-hydro turbine in operation.   (image: [Hydro NI](http://www.hydroni.co.uk/))_
 </caption> </caption>
 </figure> </figure>
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-## Further resources+===== Forum =====
  
 +This topic belongs to the section [[gt:power|Power & heating]]. You can ask questions or add information on the corresponding [Forum section](https://forum.growingthecommons.org/t/power).
  
 +===== Further resources =====
  
-## Specialist(s)+- [International Hydropower Association](https://www.hydropower.org/)  
 +- [British Hydropower Association](https://british-hydro.org/) 
 +- [Do the Math](https://dothemath.ucsd.edu/2012/10/the-energy-water-nexus/#more-1242) - the maths of hydropower 
 +- [Engineers Daily](https://www.engineersdaily.com/2011/01/micro-hydro-power-in-developing.html) - micro-hydro for developing countries 
 +- [Estimating water head and water flow](https://www.micro-hydro-power.com/micro-hydro-power-Estimating-Head-and-Flow.htm)  
 +- [Foundation for Water & Energy Education](https://fwee.org/) 
 +- [How to develop a small hyrdopower plant (pdf)](https://www.lowimpact.org/wp-content/uploads/Part_1_ESHA_Guide_on_how_to_develop_a_small_hydropower_plant.pdf) 
 +- [How to develop a small hydropower plant part 2](https://www.lowimpact.org/wp-content/uploads/Part_2_ESHA_Guide_on_how_to_develop_a_small_hydropower_plant.pdf) 
 +- [Low-tech Magazine](https://solar.lowtechmagazine.com/2013/08/back-to-basics-direct-hydropower/) - back to basics - direct hydropower 
 +- [National River Flow Archive UK](https://nrfa.ceh.ac.uk/) 
 +- [Pico-hydro for cost-effective lighting](https://www.lowimpact.org/wp-content/uploads/BP53-Williams-6.pdf) 
 +- [Building a waterwheel](https://www.reuk.co.uk/wordpress/hydro/building-a-waterwheel/) 
 +- [How to build a micro hydro turbine generator](https://www.sciencing.com/build-microhydro-turbine-generator-7515309/) 
 +- [History of waterwheels](https://waterhistory.org/histories/waterwheels/) 
 + 
 + 
 + 
 + 
 + 
 +===== Related topics ===== 
 + 
 +- [[batt:Batteries]] 
 +- [[grel:Green electricity]] 
 +- [[lien:energy|Low-impact energy]] 
 + 
 +===== Specialist curators of this topic =====
  
  
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