Pumped-storage Hydroelectricity (PSH)

[nelsonic]

Given the height differential between the top to bottom (from road to river) of the property #116 ~40m, it opens up the opportunity to use the water tanks we intend to build for irrigation, as pumped hydroelectric energy storage (PHES): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pumped-storage_hydroelectricity

Here's a video explaining the concept on a small scale with formulas and sample calculations: https://youtu.be/vy5S8GG_5G4

In this example, 10kW is produced by having:

• Drop: 20M
• Flow: 0.05m³ (50Litres / second)

We can achieve the same power with half the water flow e.g. 25L/sec by doubling the drop i.e: 40m.

This means that by having a 100k Litre tank (similar in size to the pool @home...) 100,000 / 25L = 4000 seconds 4000 sec / 60 = 67 minutes.

This might not sound like much but 10kw for 67 minutes is 11.5kwH
The current average price per kwH in PT is €0.228 so this system would be worth €2.62/day

€12,000 / €2.62 / 365 days = 12.5 years pay-back period

Then €956.30 / year of FREE energy thereafter.

Essentially we would have a way of switching from automatically "irrigation mode" to "hyrdo energy" mode and using the water tanks as "batteries" with 80% efficiency. This is a considerably more environmentally friendly solution for storing excess renewable energy than Lithium Ion Batteries.

A 10kw brush brushless water powered turbine hydroelectric generator can be purchased for as little as $3,500:

https://www.alibaba.com/pla/10kw-brush-brushless-water-powered-turbine_62258570852.html

The water pipe, electrical wire and other equipment could be purchased for an additional €2k. Installation (digging the trench for the pipe) and installing power plant on the property would be another €5k (provided we already had our own digger #113 and were only paying an operator €15h...)

So all-in we could have 10kwh of on-demand power for less than €12k. The ROI for this would be phenomenal. And best of all it would last decades with minimal maintenance!

There are muuuch cheaper options if we feel we don't need 10Kw, e.g: Micro Hydro Generator All Copper 500W Single Phase Permanent Magnet Oblique Strike Hydroelectric Generator https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005004018065117.html

I'm expecting to need quite a lot of power if we end up running the site as a Tiny Home Village ... 💭

[nelsonic]

500w mini hydro generator: €209 inc Tax & Shipping https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005002687398800.html

[nelsonic]

Worth mentioning that by using the water in the irrigation tanks for hydro we can still water the lower level terrace using the run-off, so it's not "wasted" water.

And in order to store these 11.5kwH worth of potential energy, we will need to have the corresponding Solar Panels array to pump the water up to the tanks in the first place.

But given that we were going to have solar #7 in any case, it makes sense to store as much of the excess / unused energy as possible. 💭

[nelsonic]

Tesla Turbine: https://youtu.be/AfCyzIbpLN4

[nelsonic]

Great design improvement for micro hydro turbine: https://youtu.be/Nc2vTM7KMC0 Though the up-front cost on these will be significantly higher. We can wait a few years and it will either be cheaper due to economies of scale or Chinese copies. 💭