Micro-hydro power generation system to help energy supply in remote areas

The 1kW micro-hydro system can now be used with factory drainage and irrigation canals. According to the manufacturer, the system is made from 3D printed sustainable materials based on recycled plastic and can generate electricity from even a small stream of water. The system can be connected to solar and energy storage installations to ensure a stable power supply.

Japanese multinational optical and electronic equipment giant, Ricoh Group, has launched a 1kW micro-hydro power system that can be used with factory drainage systems and irrigation canals. Micro-hydro systems are hydroelectric systems with a capacity of less than 5kW and are often used as a low-cost, easy-to-deploy source of electricity in the hardest-to-reach places in the world.

"The system can also be used in combination with photovoltaic panels and battery systems to ensure a stable power supply," a company spokesperson told pv magazine. "Depending on the amount of electricity generated, it can be used in IoT devices, Such as sensors, lighting and charging systems.”

The new product, called the 3D-Pico hydroelectric generator system, will initially be sold in the Japanese market. "The system will start service validation in Japan and will be gradually available to markets in need around the world," the spokesperson further explained.

The system has been tested at the Ricoh Numazu plant.

According to the manufacturer, the system is made from 3D printed sustainable materials based on recycled plastic and can generate electricity from even a small stream of water.

The system was tested at the company's Numazu plant. The company revealed, "We conducted a demonstration experiment with wastewater discharged from the Ricoh Numazu plant, and confirmed the possibility of lighting a lamp and using it as a power source for security cameras for nine months. We are also considering using it as a power source. , combined with battery storage for disaster preparedness.”

"Ricoh is also planning to improve the system so that it can also be used in microgrids," a company spokesperson concluded.

The viability of a micro-hydro project is determined by many factors, including the amount of electricity obtained from the water flow, the type of turbines, the capacity of the electrical load to be supplied, and the initial and operating costs.

Over the past few decades, micro-hydro systems have been successfully used as a way to provide electricity to rural areas in countries such as Nepal, Vietnam, Laos and Peru.