Learning Micro Hydro Power in depth

Summary

This video explores the untapped potential of micro hydropower as a decentralized renewable energy source. The narrator shares their personal journey with micro hydro power generation, starting in the 90s with a direct drive system powered by spring water. After facing challenges due to drought, they upgraded to a more robust system using a creek. The video highlights the importance of education, as the narrator's confidence in system design came from attending a comprehensive micro hydro course at Solar Energy International. The course, taught by experienced instructors, covers all aspects of micro hydro system installation, from theory to hands-on practice, and inspires others to harness the power of water effectively.

Takeaways

• 🌊 Water power has been used for centuries to simplify physical tasks, with large-scale industrial applications like dams and reservoirs being the most common.
• 🌿 Micro hydropower is a decentralized and often overlooked method for harnessing electric capacity, which can be a viable alternative to large-scale power generation.
• 🏞️ The speaker's journey with micro hydropower began in the 1990s on an off-grid property in Colorado, utilizing spring water for power generation.
• 🔄 After 18 years, the original system faced challenges due to a mega drought and changes in water flow, leading to an upgrade to a creek-based system.
• 🔧 The upgraded system involved a significant investment, including building a new powerhouse, penstock, bridge, and power transmission line.
• 💡 The speaker gained foundational knowledge and confidence in micro hydropower systems through a course at Solar Energy International (SEI) in 1993.
• 👨‍🏫 The SEI course, taught by Ken Gardner and Gabe Stevens, provided comprehensive training on micro hydropower, including practical and theoretical aspects.
• 📏 The course covered essential topics like measuring head and flow, turbine types, load control systems, and common pitfalls to avoid.
• 👷‍♂️ Hands-on instruction and site visits were part of the course, allowing participants to see real-world applications and installations.
• 🌟 The speaker encourages others to attend such comprehensive training to gain knowledge and avoid costly mistakes in micro hydropower system installation.
• 📹 The speaker documents various micro hydropower systems on his YouTube channel, 'Mr. Hydro Head,' to share knowledge and inspire others.

Q & A

What is the most common application of hydropower mentioned in the script?

The script mentions that the most common application of hydropower is on a huge industrial scale, which has resulted in the centralization of power generation with enormous dams and reservoirs.

What is the significance of micro hydropower according to the speaker?

Micro hydropower is significant because it represents a decentralized and viable means of harnessing electric capacity, as opposed to the centralized power generation methods like large wind farms and huge solar arrays.

When did the speaker's journey with micro hydro power generation begin?

The speaker's journey with micro hydro power generation began in the early 90s.

What was the source of water for the first micro hydropower system installed by the speaker?

The first system, installed in 1996, was supplied with spring water collected from two separate springs and transported in nearly a mile of four-inch pipe.

Why did the speaker decide to upgrade their micro hydropower system in 2013?

The speaker decided to upgrade their system in 2013 because the springs began to lose their abundant flow due to an extended mega drought in the west and the installation of a pond which may have directed water away from their underground aquifer.

What was the output of the new system the speaker installed in 2013?

The new system in 2013 was expected to have a far greater output of power, utilizing the original Pelton turbine and generator that the speaker had purchased in 1996.

What is the mr hydro head YouTube channel and how did it come into being?

The mr hydro head YouTube channel came into being as a result of the speaker's decision to document in over 20 videos the two-year process of designing and building a new powerhouse for their upgraded micro hydropower system.

What did the speaker learn at the course specific to micro hydro at Solar Energy International?

At the course, the speaker gained a broad and solid basis of knowledge about micro hydro, and the instructors helped them design their first system and get a good deal on the equipment needed.

Who teaches the micro hydro training course at Solar Energy International?

The micro hydro training course at Solar Energy International is taught by Ken Gardner, a licensed engineer, and Gabe Stevens, who has worked with Ken on numerous and varied projects.

What kind of practical instruction is provided in the micro hydro training course?

The course provides hands-on instruction in techniques for determining accurate head measurements, measuring flow with specialized equipment and simpler techniques, and demonstrating how different types of micro hydro equipment are installed, adjusted, tested, and function.

Why does the speaker urge others to attend the micro hydro training course?

The speaker urges others to attend the course because it provided them with the knowledge and confidence to install their own systems and can likely help avoid a wide range of mistakes which can be both frustrating and costly.