Estimating power potential

For us, 1.0 m³/sec of flow and a head of 1.5m should be sufficient to generate 11KW, or the electrical needs of 14 average homes
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Evaluation of alternatives

We selected the Archimedes screw vs a high speed turbine or a more traditional water wheel
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Process

Each site will be different, but in our case it took nearly 4 years from a pre-feasibility study to generating our first Watt...
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Need for new channel

Civil works can add significantly to the project cost and in our case we felt we had no alternative but to cut a new channel to house the screw
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Control system

The system automatically controls the screw speed, river height and operation of river gates to pass through excess storm water flows more

Economics of hydro

We set out to achieve a 10 year payback - but with the requirement to install an expensive fish pass we didn't quite make it - or atleast time will tell
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