Harnessing hydropower for your home
How does hydroelectricity work?
Since all rivers and streams flow downhill from their source, their movement can act as a source of energy. Hydropower works by diverting the water from a stream or river down a different path and using it to spin a turbine, which then generates electricity through a generator.
The benefits of hydroelectricity
Captures the power of water day and night
The sun doesn’t shine at night and the wind can sometimes be calm, but rivers don’t stop running, making hydropower the most reliable source of renewable energy.
Can go above and beyond your electricity needs
Hydroelectricity has the potential to save you money by providing you with all the electricity you need to power and heat your home and hot water supply. It might even create excess energy you can either store in a battery or sell back to the National Grid through the Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) scheme.
Creates carbon-free power
Hydropower is a source of renewable green energy, so by using it, you’ll be minimising your impact on the planet.
Can you install hydroelectricity at home?
There is a specific criteria a river or stream needs to meet in order to be suitable for hydropower. The head (the distance the water falls) needs to be high enough, and there needs to be enough flow (the quantity of water that rushes by, measured in cubic metres per second). The flow should be measured over the course of a year to provide an accurate representation of how much energy will be generated on average. Rivers are generally much drier in summer, so it’ll need to have a high enough minimum flow at this time of year.
If you think you might have an appropriate site for hydropower, contact a certified installer who’ll be able to properly assess it.
Costs and savings
There’s typically a large upfront cost for installing hydroelectricity, which may be prohibitive - it’s one of the most expensive renewable technologies. The costs will vary depending on the site and the equipment that’s required.
Since no two points on a river are the same, the savings you’ll see will depend on how much power the system can generate, though it could potentially eliminate your energy bills. Your installer will be able to give you an estimate of how much electricity it will produce, which you can use to decide whether choosing hydropower is worth it.
The cost of maintenance for a hydroelectricity system is usually quite low, and they can last for around 40-50 years, or even longer if properly maintained.
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