articles

Choosing a Backup Generator by Pahl, Greg. Mother Earth News 202, 2004.

Choosing Microhydro ...Clean Electricity in the Outback by Aronson, Jeffe. Home Power 101, 2004.

The Electric Side of Hydro Power by Ostermeier, Jerry and Schwartz, Joe. Home Power 126, 2008. An excellent discussion of the issues involved in transmitting the power from a small hydro-turbine to a residential or business location where it can be used. It shows the advantages of using a high-voltage strategy to keep wiring costs down and reduce voltage loss when doing long transmission runs from the turbine.

Grid-Direct Low-Power Microhydro Systems by Peltz, Jay and Schwartz, Joe. Home Power 126, 2008. One of the few articles we have come across that talks about using micro-hydro in a grid-tied configuration.  Grid-tie approaches can be economically and socially advantageous since micro-hydro turbines continuously put out power.  With a grid-tie approach all of that power can be utilized through the grid rather than being wasted using diversion controllers. They also reduce the overall cost of the system by eliminating the need for batteries.

Flooded Lead-Acid Battery Maintenance by Perez, Richard. Home Power 98, 2004.

Happy on One Kilowatt by Isley, Bill.  Mother Earth News 180, 92 2000.

Homestead Hydropower by Maxwell, Steve. Mother Earth News 208, 2005.

Intro to Hydropower - Part 1 by New, Dan. Home Power 103, 2004.

Intro to Hydropower - Part 2: Measuring Head and Flow by New, Dan. Home Power 104, 2004.

Intro to Hydropower - Part 3: Power Efficiency, Transmission & Equipment Selection by New, Dan. Home Power 105, 2005.

Is a Micro-Hydroelectric System Feasible for You?  by U.S. Department of Energy. Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. Consumer Energy Information: EREC Reference Briefs. November, 2002, DOE/GO-102001-1173 FS217 .

Lester Allan Pelton, water turbines and the beginning of hydroelectricity by Bellis, Mary. http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/bl_lester_pelton.htm 2006.

Low-Head Microhydro Thai Style by Greacen, Chris. Home Power 1224, 2008. This article tells the story of a very low cost (under $100) microhydro project that was done in Thailand. It struck us as typical of the sensible and innovative approach that many underdeveloped nations are taking to employ microhydro.

Microhydro Intake Design by Ostermeir, Jerry. Home Power 1224, 2008. This well done article is the only one we have ever found exclusively on the topic of microhydro intake design. How you set up your intake for a microhydro project can be critical and the author discusses the advantages and disadvantages of different approaches along with excellent diagrams of each approach. A must read for someone planning a microhydro project.

Small Hydropower Systems by U.S. Department of Energy. National Renewable Energy Laboratory. July, 2001, DOE/GO-102001-1173 FS217 .

Starting Smart: Calculating Your Energy Appetite by Russell, Scott. Home Power 102, 2004.