August 28, 2002
Micro Hydro Power

Alternative energy generation is not something I know a lot about, but I'm trying to come up to speed. Let's assume, naively, that the plans for huge dams on the Usumacinta reflect real, local needs for power, instead of (more likely) a misguided attempt to power a PPP boondoggle farther north, and subdue the last frontier in the process. The watershed provides an opportunity to create small, widely dispersed hydroelectric generators that would not destroy the ecosystem and the cultural matrix. A summary of other micro hydro power projects can be found in this report from the World Bank:

Best practices for sustainable development of micro hydro power in developing countries

This company is in New York State, about an hour away from where I sit. I should find out more about them. They sell very small micro hydro power generation systems designed to charge 12, 24, or 48 volt storage batteries. They would work for a small settlement on the river bank.


A larger system that can provide power to a village of 50 to 80 houses is described in this page about a project in Papua New Guinea. Click on this sketch for a larger, useful diagram of their operation.

Here's a pdf file about a larger generating system built in Nicaragua.

And here's another pdf, an excellent overview on micro hydro power
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Posted by Dave at August 28, 2002 08:32 PM