Electrical Connection Spring 2015

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6 8 E L E CT R I C AL CONNE CT I ON S P R I NG 2 01 5
HYDRO
Just add water
F rom new-age hippies trying to get
off the grid to farmers reducing their
overheads, customers considering
micro hydro power generation are a varied
bunch. They all have one thing in common
though: they’re searching for a cost-effective,
reliable and efficient small hydro generator –
and a New Zealand company thinks it has
the solution.
PowerSpout is a domestic-scale micro
hydro generator. It uses a reconfigured Fisher
and Paykel Smart Drive, is fully encased with
no exposedmoving parts and is capable of
producing 1.6kW constant output around the
clock. All it needs to operate is water running
down a natural fall.
“Every site is different. It’s all relative as to
howmuch fall and flow you have and how
much power we can get,” says Australian
PowerSpout silver dealer Darren Cooper.
Although this statement may appear
incredibly vague, it’s still a truism; a small
amount of water flowing down a 40mdrop
can provide as much energy as a larger
amount flowing down a 5mdrop. That’s why
PowerSpout offers a custom service: each
generator is made to order, in consultation
with the property owner.
The first step is to use the calculator on the
PowerSpout website.
“You enter the amount of water that you
have available, the length and size of the
pipe, and the specifications of your electrical
cables if your generator is remote fromwhere
you’re going to use the power. The calculator
will then give you power at the turbine and
power at your shed,” Darren says.
To ensure the client gets the most power
out of their turbine, the purchasing process is
quite consultative.
“Usually you have three or four
conversations with people, about their site
and what they’re trying to do. The turbine
is then built to suit the specifications
entered into the calculator. There’s around
300 different windings that can be put
into the units, so it’s all matched to the site
specifications,” Darren says.
There are three models available, each
with a different rotor type, that are then
customised to the clients’ needs. The three
rotors include the Low Head (made from
stainless steel), the Turgo and the Pelton (both
injected-moulded with glass-filled nylon).
While there are options for under 120V DC,
all models above this require an electrician to
connect it up.
The micro hydro generators have been
installed all over the world, fromNew Zealand
to Romania, and everywhere in between.
The technology can have multiple
applications. As a single generator can
produce 1.6kWwith enough consistent
water flow, it can cater to the average home’s
consumption. Generators can also be easily
‘piggy backed’, to produce more electricity
from the same stream.
Darren gives the example of a sheep farm
in Cressy, Tasmania. The farm already has pipe
work in place for irrigation that runs down
a 90m fall from the hills to the paddocks;
the pressure from the fall ensures they can
irrigate the land without the need for pumps.
The pipes were only in use for three or four
months of the year.
“We put a spur line off their existing
infrastructure and got a water licence for
200ML of water over the winter. When they’re
not irrigating, we now use the hydro turbines,”
Darren says.
“They’re getting around 6.5kW, around 150
to 160 kWh a day, and that goes back into the
grid. When their contract runs out, we’ll do
some rationalisation and change the metering
points, so the homestead, office, visitors’
house, shearing shed and workshop will be
able to consume the power from the turbines.
They just sheared around 6,000-8,000 sheep
and didn’t use any power from the grid.”
While Darren is quick to point out the
benefits of hydro over solar – namely the
ability to generate power 24/7 and the
freedom from large batteries – he also
acknowledges that hydro marries well
with solar.
“Some people will only have sun for six
or seven months of the year. They’ll be fine
in the summer, but in winter they can’t
get enough power, so they have to run a
generator,” he says.
The coupling of solar and hydro can reduce
or remove the reliance on a generator and
allow the owner to go completely off-grid.
Whether solo or in conjunction with solar
panels, PowerSpout appears to have a lot
to offer those interested in generating their
own power.
> PowerSpout
> Tas Energy &Heating
Think small-scale hydro
generation is just a pipe dream?
Think again. Kate Jordan looks
at a new product from New
Zealand that’s making waves.
PowerSpout generators piggy backed to
make the most of the available water.