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River Tame Micro-Electricity

Rationale

The River Tame in Perry Hall has an early closing time at 6pm every day. It may be concluded after the field trip that this may be due to the lack of security in the evening and inadequate lighting system. The installation of a new lighting system will enable increase the opening time and improve Perry Hall’s functionality to the locals. However, this may be hampered by the long term cost of electricity. As a result, we may take another look at renewable energy resources as a way of development.

Perry Hall is gifted with sloped topography and abundant river discharge- two attributes that contribute to hydroelectric potential. Recently, when electricity can be generated on a smaller scale and with less environmental impact, we can exploit the flow of the River Tames to provide the energy resource for the lighting system. Such a plan would corporate small and inexpensive micro-hydroelectric turbines, which have become more popular and environmentally friendly in recent years.



Due to the recent surge in technological advancement, the past impracticality of micro-hydroelectricity is now replaced by its immense potential. . A micro hydropower plant has a capacity of up to 100 kW. A small or micro hydroelectric power system can produce enough electricity for a home, farm, ranch, or village [2]. Hydro-electric power generated from water is not yet all tapped completely. Micro hydropower plants are emerging as a major renewable energy resource today.

Detailed examinations will be required to assess the overall suitability of site for a micro hydro power project, so as to provide appropriate and economical design and immediate solution against problems that may arise. On the technical aspects, all available information regarding site or regional hydrology data, topography photos, geology reports should be collected and reviewed. This is to be done through a site visit by a well experienced geologist in consultation with the design engineers.

Even though micro hydro installations are typically used in developing countries for energy provision to isolated communities where the national electricity grid is not available, it can be done in urban areas as well. In Paris, the River Seine got the potential to become an icon of urban sustainability–if plans to install eight hydroelectric turbines in the waters of the Seine go through this year. The construction of the hydropower station Graz-Puntigam with a total capacity of 16 MW is planned within the city limits of Graz. Graz represents the provincial capital of Styria and is situated around 150 km south-west of Vienna. The number of inhabitants amounts to 262,000; hence Graz is the second largest city in Austria. The overall investment volume is € 87 Mio. The construction works are scheduled to start in autumn 2013 and will be finished by the end of 2015. The power station will be able to generate an electricity amount of 74 GWh per year. Hence about 20,000 households in Graz can be provided with “green” electricy Paris City Hall is currently in the process of seeking proposals for hydro power strategies. Proposals will be accepted through this fall and the winner will be announced in January 2011.

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However, it’s not recommended that a micro hydro power project should be initiated in Perry Hall at this time. However, an environmental research regarding the public reaction and their relationship with experts may be worthwhile in term of showcasing sustainable energy potential and increasing the awareness of such technology. The research can also be a platform for local institutions and enterprises to collect data and discuss future possibilities regarding energy issues. If electricity prices continues to rise and scientific advances result in a more efficient and economical micro hydropower system, this project may be feasible in near future. It’s our hope that this study will inspire creative solutions to solve urban energy problems.

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III. Methodology:

2. Public opinion on the aesthetics of the micro hydroelectricity system.

There are two types of micro hydroelectric generator, one is the water wheel and the other is the modern turbine. Turbines are more commonly used today to power small hydropower systems as they are more compact in relation to their energy output than waterwheels. They also have fewer gears and require less material for construction. However, turbines are usually considered to have a high impact on the surrounding ecosystem ranging from the disruption of the consistency of the water stream, the alteration of flow conditions and the associated sedimentation, the increase of the water temperature and the related oxygen-deficiency up to a reduction of the water level downstream of the hydropower plant. On the other hand, water wheel slow motion and the operation at atmospheric pressure are thought to reduce impact on the ecological population significantly.

Turbines, usually with complex design, are most commonly used for high head microhydro systems. They rely on the velocity of water to move the turbine. The most

common types of impulse turbines include the Pelton wheel and the Turgo wheel.

The Pelton wheel uses the concept of jet force to create energy. The impact of the jet spray on the curved buckets creates a force that rotates the wheel at high efficiency rates of 70 to 90 percent. Pelton wheel turbines are available in various sizes and operate best under low-flow and high-head conditions.

Another turbine option is called the Jack Rabbit (sometimes referred to as the Aquair UW Submersible Hydro Generator).The Jack Rabbit is the drop-in-thecreek turbine, mentioned earlier, that can generate power from a stream with as little as 13 inches of water and no head. Output from the Jack Rabbit is a maximum of 100W, so daily output averages 1.5 to 2.4 kilowatt-hours, depending on your site.

Reference: Feasibility pdf

Turbines are usually not considered viable for low head hydropower sites since their unit costs per kW installed capacity are too high (10 – 12,000 £/kW)> In addition, there are concerns about the effect of turbines on the ecological population (mechanical damage and damage by very low pressures). Water wheels, with costs of 3 – 7.5 £/ kW can be considered an economically interesting solution.

Water Wheel Research

The Overshot Wheel:

The overshot wheel has been researched quite thoroughly already; there even was a PhD-thesis on overshot wheels done at Stuttgart University in 1935. Undershot and breast shot wheels however have not been investigated; a small research project into the performance of characteristics of breast shot wheels has therefore been conducted, see Müller & Wolter (2004).

The Breast Shot Wheel:

A 1m diameter model of a breast shot water wheel designed after Bach (1886) and Müller (1899) was built and tested. Figure 2 a shows the inflow, Figure 2b the wheel itself.

The model tests showed that the ‘traditional design’, based on Bach’s 1886 book, contained some unfavorable features and assumptions. The original maximum efficiency of 76% could be improved to 87% by modifying the inflow detail, and by sloping the tailrace channel. The breast shot water wheel appears to be a very interesting energy converter. Currently, the micro-hydro group is involved with a full scale study of a newly built breast shot wheel at Lemsford / Hertfordshire.

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|Fig. 2c / Fig. 2d - Efficiency curve for traditional geometry with a coulisse inflow. / Efficiency curve for improved inflow and |

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Stream Wheels:

Although stream wheels could be potentially quite interesting since e.g. their application would not constitute a major change of the river, no such wheel has been built for more than 100 years and very little is known about the performance characteristics and design requirements for such wheels. Currently, a joint research project with the Universities of Southampton and Berlin is under way in order to investigate the characteristics of this wheel type. Figure 3a shows a 500 mm model wheel at TU Berlin.

Figure 3b shows the theoretical power output curve for a stream wheel of 3.40 m width, running in a 5m/s flow. The maximum efficiency is 40% of the total or, to be in line with the definition used in turbine design, 80% of the usable energy at a wheel speed of 60% of the free stream velocity of the water. This does not appear to be unfavorable when compared with the most advanced Pelton turbines, which can reach 92% efficiency

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Survey Method

In order to assess community preferences for the two micro hydro power plant design in the Tame a questionnaire will be developed over a fixed time period based on discussion rounds with external experts and members from the local council. Extra attention must be given to how comprehensible the project and its design are to lay people. Ultimately, questionnaire should consist of no more than 30 (or 40) questions subdivided into two parts. The first section contained questions about the participants’ general perception and attitudes towards renewable energies, electricity and hydropower use. In the second section, participants will state their choices for (???) different choice sets. The final section of the questionnaire will gather data on participants’ demographic and socioeconomic status.

In the introduction to the choice set, participants will be informed of the current status of renewable energy sources and its potential role in future energy policy. It should also be mentioned that only about 1% of electricity generated in the UK (i.e. about 4,000 GWh out of a total of 350,000 GWh - source DTI) is produced by conventional hydro power stations while there is still substantial potential for new hydropower plants. Furthermore all information should be explained in easy terms to the participants. This may include the use of pictures to elaborate the attributes of the choice sets experiment.

|Design |Efficiency |Environmental Impact |Aesthetic Purposes |Potential Fee per |Future Recreational |Choices |

| | | | |Households |activities | |

|Water Wheel |Lighting System for |Weak Impact | |  |Sightseeing for |  |

| |the walkpath | | | |children | |

|None of the above |  |  |  |  |  |  |

The main benefit of the installation of a micro hydropower plant is the sustainable generation of electricity for the local lighting system while limiting emission of greenhouse gas. For

the two presented design,it was estimated that there will be a significant difference in the level of efficiency with the water wheel being able to power the walk path only. However, the construction as well as the operation of a modern turbine comes along with a greater negative impact on the water body and its surrounding environment. Consequently there will be a general conflict between the level of efficiency and the level of environmental impact. There will be two levels of environmental impacts, specifically a weak and strong impact. Another negative effect related to the construction of a turbine based hydropower plant is the visual impact on the landscape. Negative effects related to the construction of a turbine based hydro power plant include the visual impact on the landscape. On the other hand, the situation is more positive for the water wheel as its architect may appeal to the older generation as reminiscence of the past. The third attribute included in the choice experiment describes possible future recreational activities along the riverside like biking, sightseeing or

canoeing that can be created when building a new hydropower plant. Finally, the monetary attribute was specified as an increase in respondents’monthly electricity bill. The payment levels ranged between 3 and 18 pound.

The sample for this questionnaire will consist of people living in the area of Perry Hal as well as the surrounding communities. In order to estimate the initial interest of the public, a web-based questionnaire will be carried out first. In the first survey, the number of people invited should be as many as possible. Based on the number of participants who complete the survey, the response rate can then be calculated as the ratio between filled questionnaires and the overall number of people invited to the online survey. A review of the socio-demographic characteristics of this sample as well as the distribution in the total population will be carried out. The conclusion regarding the gender distribution, age structure and disposable monthly household income will be useful in

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