Hydro turbine at home

In the fourth in a series of articles, Fergus Keane, of Power Generation Sustainability, updates on the latest sustainability initiatives being driven to support the ESB Corporate Strategy.

In my new Power Generation role in sustainability, I have come across some fascinating examples of staff projects that harness renewable resources in their local environment.

Perhaps the most dramatic of these is Seán O Neill’s micro hydro turbine in Donegal. Sean is based in Cathleen’s Fall Power Station and has constructed a crossflow hydro turbine in his garden, which borders a stream.

A 23 meter long, 300mm wide pipe feeds water to the turbine as seen in the photo above. The head is about 3 meters; this is the height from which the water drops, and as a result, gives an indication of the amount of potential energy associated with the water falling from that level. The average output from the turbine is 2.5 kW, and Seán has arranged a load (electricity demand) of that amount in his house consisting of storage heating, convection heating and a few lights to match the output.

On our national grid, the electricity generated at any moment has to be consumed instantaneously, and the same is true of this mini power station in Seán garden, as electricity generated cannot be stored, at least as electrical energy.

Seán plans to efficiently co-ordinate the generationdemand balance in the future by installing a panel to regulate the output of the turbine, and by diverting some power to water heating.

If you know of any other innovative renewable research projects affiliated with ESB, please keep Fergus updated.