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A pico hydro system made by the Sustainable Vision project from Baylor University [1]. Pico hydro is a term used for hydroelectric power generation of under 5 kW. These generators have proven to be useful in small, remote communities that require only a small amount of electricity – for example, to power one or two fluorescent light bulbs and a TV or radio in 50 or so homes. [2]
Although the cost of small hydro projects are generally far lower than large-scale hydroelectric systems, there is a cost to construction. Considering this, if a small hydro project proves to be uneconomical it will have an outsized budget expenditure relative to large projects which run over-budget. [26]
In relation to rural development, the simplicity and low relative cost of micro hydro systems open up new opportunities for some isolated communities in need of electricity. With only a small stream needed, remote areas can access lighting and communications for homes, medical clinics, schools, and other facilities. [16]
Where a dam serves multiple purposes, a hydroelectric station may be added with relatively low construction cost, providing a useful revenue stream to offset the costs of dam operation. It has been calculated that the sale of electricity from the Three Gorges Dam will cover the construction costs after 5 to 8 years of full generation. [42]
In Switzerland one study suggested that the total installed capacity of small pumped-storage hydropower plants in 2011 could be increased by 3 to 9 times by providing adequate policy instruments. [42] Using a pumped-storage system of cisterns and small generators, pico hydro may also be effective for "closed loop" home energy generation systems ...
The hydraulic head either occurs naturally, such as a waterfall, or is created by constructing a dam in a river valley, creating a reservoir. Using a controlled release of water from the reservoir drives the turbines. The costs and environmental impacts of constructing a dam can make traditional hydroelectric projects unpopular in some countries.
Previous upstream dams and reservoirs were part of the 1980s James Bay Project. There are also small and somewhat-mobile forms of a run-of-the-river power plants. One example is the so-called electricity buoy, a small floating hydroelectric power plant. Like most buoys, it is anchored to the ground, in this case in a river.
The generator's operation had fallen from an initial 55 MW to 35 MW after years of deterioration. [4] The estimated cost of the replacement was 34 million euros. [5] The new generator was finished in 2011 and RusHydro began modernizing the plant's first generator in June 2011, with plans to complete the equipment replacement by 2020. [6]