Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie

Hydro Power Microstation

Options
  • 06-02-2020 8:39am
    #1
    wicklow_hunter
    Registered Users Posts: 156 ✭✭


    Hi All,

    Looking for some advise with regard to anyone who has experience with Hydro Micro Stations

    Ive seen some inspirational videos on utube of what Hydro Power Can do

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t3AF_eawtGE
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bhyi1DjGti8

    Ive been looking at the Various Options
    Solar , Wind etc all of which have there own Pros and Cons
    Some of the opinions on the Web with Regard to Hydro are Mixed

    My power consumption is in the Winter Months and i Have a Water cource 300-400m from House which could have some potential

    Is there any Kits that People have Successfully installed that harness energy from Streams and Small rivers?

    I have > 6" pipe flowing in this stream with a potential Head height of 3-4 Meters for or 6-8 Months of the Year

    Esb Bills are North of 2K per Anum (Running a 10 Kw Heat Pump) Looking to go down the Ev road in the coming year or So Also :pac:


Comments

  • Options
    #2
    Mr Gumby
    Registered Users Posts: 68 ✭✭Mr Gumby


    Watch this guy, all the info you are going to need. - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEZ2hvCDKUpEvvgEy_b5C6UnYNslaYcik


  • Options
    #3
    wicklow_hunter
    Registered Users Posts: 156 ✭✭wicklow_hunter


    Mr Gumby wrote: »
    Watch this guy, all the info you are going to need. - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEZ2hvCDKUpEvvgEy_b5C6UnYNslaYcik

    Great Video Payback 7 Years from a diy install. From reading up on solar its 15 years by which time the panels are no longer as efficient


  • Options
    #4
    unkel
    Registered Users Posts: 64,891 ✭✭✭✭unkel


    wicklow_hunter wrote: »
    Great Video Payback 7 Years from a diy install. From reading up on solar its 15 years by which time the panels are no longer as efficient

    Be very careful making all these kinds of assumptions without doing a proper calculation yourself.

    An official SEAI PV install might have a payback time of 15 years but if you buy the parts right and install yourself it can be a lot less

    I had a solar PV system with a payback time of 5-6 years. After a year I broke it up and sold all the parts for more than I paid for them, so in effect it had a payback of 0 years (it was profitable from the second it was installed)


  • Options
    #5
    rolion
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,362 ✭✭✭rolion


    The distance of 400m from the house will create huge loss of electric curent on the cables ... check with a spark first.
    If you need to divert the water from the main course closer to house / location of the motor, as well,check the distance as that bring in new variable that needs to be taken in consideration.

    Too far, i will say !
    Good luck.


  • Options
    #6
    Darragh3206
    Registered Users Posts: 13 ✭Darragh3206


    rolion wrote: »
    The distance of 400m from the house will create huge loss of electric curent on the cables ... check with a spark first.
    If you need to divert the water from the main course closer to house / location of the motor, as well,check the distance as that bring in new variable that needs to be taken in consideration.

    Too far, i will say !
    Good luck.



    As a general rule it will always be cheaper to transport electricity over a distance compared to transporting or diverting the pressurised water in your proposed micro hydro plant.

    Also means less noise being generated close to your dwelling. I’m unaware of the lay of your land and your proposed micro plant house location. Do you own both sides of the stream at the proposed intake location?


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #7
    Ginger83
    Registered Users Posts: 3,457 ✭✭✭Ginger83


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058051881/hydro-power-microstation

    Did you ever follow this up?



  • Options
    #8
    slave1
    Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 18,741 Mod ✭✭✭✭slave1


    If the bills were over €2k a year before the Energy Crisis I don't want to think about what they are now...😖

    My stuff for sale on Adverts inc. outdoor furniture, roof box and EDDI

    My Active Ads (adverts.ie)



  • Options
    #9
    bringingBóhome
    Registered Users Posts: 2 ✭bringingBóhome


    Hi all. Currently researching an install at a small river just 50m from my house. Only 2m head, but huge volume of powerful water flowing through. @wicklow_hunter , did you ever get around to it? Would love to hear the experiences of anyone else in Ireland too.



  • Options
    #10
    slave1
    Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 18,741 Mod ✭✭✭✭slave1


    look up Chris Harbour (sic?) on YouTube, he put in a massive hydro mill with ~1.5kW output, it will give you an indication of what's achievable when you see the size of the water he had to play with

    My stuff for sale on Adverts inc. outdoor furniture, roof box and EDDI

    My Active Ads (adverts.ie)



  • Options
    #11
    the_amazing_raisin
    Registered Users Posts: 10,917 ✭✭✭✭the_amazing_raisin


    I feel like the amount of paperwork and permits you'd need for a project like that would make it impractical

    I believe a landowner needs permission from the OPW or Irish Water to perform any works on a watercourse, it wouldn't just be as simple as a planning application to your council

    I imagine the default answer is "no" unless you can prove that the flow of water won't be impeded in any way

    "The internet never fails to misremember" - Sebastian Ruiz, aka Frost



  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #12
    graememk
    Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators Posts: 5,843 Mod ✭✭✭✭graememk


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121993386#Comment_121993386

    It's not Irish water or opw but it's the local river agency, I see their work trucks every so often up here.

    Unless it's a small stream you can't mess with them.



Advertisement