A sustainable energy solution that uses gravity to generate electricity.

Hydropower generation by building dams over the river is a common way of generating electricity but, a new micro-hydropower technology that allows towns and cities to generate electricity from the water running through their pipes is what the future has in stores for the World. A new sustainable energy solution.

This no emission, non-polluting, environment-friendly technology generates electricity from four turbines (5 blades) installed along a 50-foot section of water pipes.

It can generate 1,100 MWh of electricity a year – the equivalent of powering 150 homes. This is just a tip of the iceberg and if this technology is tapped even more it can prove a boon to the society as a whole.

How it works

http://lucidenergy.com/how-it-works/

The company is also the first to sign a power-purchase agreement with a utility, Portland General Electric (PGE). PGE’s involvement comes as it looks to replace a coal power plant, due to close in 2020, by investing in a portfolio of renewable technologies.

Lucid’s $1.7m project in Portland was financed by private investors Harbourton Alternative Energy, with an agreement to sell $2m worth of power over 20 years to privately owned PGE. After 20 years Portland Water Bureau will be given the right to buy the system and own the electricity it produces.

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Portland, one of the largest city in the US states of Oregon, became the first city to harness electricity from its water pipes and sell it to the electricity grid. This city having the advantage of being surrounded by snow-capped mountains and many rivers. The company Lucid Energy has been able to sign an MoU with Portland General Electric (PGE) wherein the company will supply electricity to the grid. PGE is in the process of transition by replacing the coal power plant by investing in a portfolio of renewable technologies by 2020.

Second, in line, Parks Tau, the mayor of Johannesburg, intends to use Lucid’s technology to help his city cope with the country’s electricity crisis since 2008.

The cost of generating electricity through this new technology is many times cheaper than solar and wind, although the initial setup cost is almost equivalent to solar or wind energy in the form of capital investment. Low cost of generation is possible because of around the clock flow of water and at constant speed hence, more electricity generation than other modes.

Sustainable energy in the form of solar and wind is already tapped in and its use is growing exponentially. But there are certain limitations with these form of natural freely available resources. Like, there is no power generation from the windmill if, wind does not blow and there is nothing generated from solar panels if, there is no sunlight due to clouds or during the night.

Lucid Energy is not the first company to innovate with in-pipe hydropower. Rentricity, a New York startup has started work on a large irrigation pipeline project in Utah, a western US state, all the energy generated will be exported to the power grid.

In the United Kingdom, Welsh Water has been operational for four years and Scottish Water have been generating power in their pipes for two years.

But Bill Kelly, who is Lucid’s chief executive, replacing founder Gregg Semler, says its five-bladed spherical turbines are unique and does not in any way stop the flow of water.

So the future of Lucid Energy is promising. It has also got its 5 blade technology patented.

Lucid Energy further sees expansion in industrial users of water pipeline – agricultural irrigation schemes, sewerage treatment facilities, energy companies.

Falling in line it recently signed a deal with Cadiz, a water resource development company in southern California, to provide power for a railway line by harnessing the water flow in a new pipeline flowing into the Colorado River Aqueduct.

This technology which uses gravity for generating electricity can be scaled up to fulfil the demand of an entire city provided the complete water distribution system is overhauled, which is a challenge for now. Still, to tackle the high demand water and energy place on one another, micro-hydro power is emerging as a technology with potential.
This technology will prove boon to countries with rivers flowing down the hill.