We are off-grid in Southwest New Mexico. For the last 25 years we have used Hydro power with a backup generator for our electricity needs. Changes in weather patterns are causing our river to diminish. I do not think it would be out of the question for the river to completely stop flowing above ground some day. We need to upgrade our system so we are not exclusively reliant on the river and generator. Power Consumption Profile: The hydro plant, as it is, produces 4.5 kW continuous power output. We have an electronic load manager system where you can assign a priority to certain loads and the manager will automatic turn lower priority loads on and off based on power availability. This effectively allows for higher average power consumption. Due to the nature of our operations here the load profile varies considerably over time and seasonally. Our overall consumption can be anywhere between 1.75 kW to very close to 4.5 kW continuous for weeks at a time. (The Load Manager makes it possible to operate close to 4.5 kW average consumption). We have good sun exposure here so Solar Power is a possibility. Wind Power might be a possibility. Seems like some hybrid combination of Hydro/Solar/Wind might be the best solution. Does anybody have any ideas or suggestions on how to proceed with this project? Could anybody help, or know someone or some business or group who could help as a consultant on this project?
Consider pumped storage. Dig a hole above the hydro station, fill it with a pump when the power demand is low, and bleed it back into the stream when flow is down.
Let the air out of the tires. What volume and velocity of water is minimal to run your gennie? Is it paddle wheel, turbines, or what? Could piping be ran beneath the stream bed to utilize the flow? That's an interesting problem. I had a 24 volt system set up at my cabin with an altinator on a geared paddle-wheel. I ran six inch pipe across a large bend in the creek where there was a twelve foot drop in elevation. Once, I had to create a small dam and french drain at the input side due to drought conditions lowering the water table.
I would go after the consumption side first. What are your biggest power consumers? What type of appliances do you have for AC, water heating, clothes drying? There are some new technologies in these areas that can make a big impact on the consumption side. Solar and LiFePO4 batteries are your obvious solution but putting a dent in your consumption is the first step.
Water storage might be your best investment initially, preferably a reservoir up stream. secondly energy storage as in a battery bank that can handle a surge and some where to store energy in the short term. I have a wind mill that makes a small contribution, only because this area has intermittent wind, I did not count on high output . My system is battery-based and I use several means to supply it, primarily solar. If I had a live stream I would take advantage of that as well. So far as setting up an upper reservoir you might think of using a "ram pump". The technology is over a hundred years old and uses only the water flow to pump the water. 6' of drop can pump water over 30' high or more, I did an experiment my self. Youtube has a number of folks demonstrating it and there are several examples of them being used all over the world particularly in the Philippines. some very old and higher out put units are out there.
