# Electricity from water service



## OpenSights (Mar 23, 2015)

Awesome idea!

https://returntonow.net/2020/02/20/...53nxPVl24ZMT0J7Kz7lLpAh8yMiWM4H27NlN3WLbliecY


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## Tango (Jan 13, 2018)

This means it has to built in a secured building with 24Hr surveillance which cost a lot of money. Then they'll need a bypass to be able to remove the spool to replace parts. Those parts are going to be exclusive with a high price tag.

2 million dollars for 20 years, that's not a lot of savings.


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## ShtRnsdownhill (Jan 13, 2016)

Tango said:


> This means it has to built in a secured building with 24Hr surveillance which cost a lot of money. Then they'll need a bypass to be able to remove the spool to replace parts. Those parts are going to be exclusive with a high price tag.
> 
> 2 million dollars for 20 years, that's not a lot of savings.


 and thats not counting if anything need repair or regular maintenance....
now its a good concept for personal use on a smaller basis if you wanted to tap a river, creek or spring up a mountain to generate electric out in the sticks...


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## jakewilcox (Sep 3, 2019)

If they had to pump that water to a tank, they loose energy from that POS. Why don't engineers who think this stuff up not understand this crap. ENERGY isn't free. Unless it comes from a nuclear reactor.


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## SchmitzPlumbing (May 5, 2014)

this is probably a better idea than the useless wind towers.


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## skoronesa (Oct 27, 2015)

jakewilcox said:


> If they had to pump that water to a tank, they loose energy from that POS. *Why don't engineers who think this stuff up not understand this crap.* ENERGY isn't free. Unless it comes from a nuclear reactor.


Why don't the internet mouths who criticize this stuff not understand you have to read the whole article?
*
You clearly need to read more thoroughly.*

_"The turbines can *only be installed in places where municipal water pipes flow downhill*, as using electricity to pump water through them would defeat the purpose."_


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## skoronesa (Oct 27, 2015)

Tango said:


> This means it has to built in a secured building with 24Hr surveillance which cost a lot of money. Then they'll need a bypass to be able to remove the spool to replace parts. Those parts are going to be exclusive with a high price tag.
> 
> 2 million dollars for 20 years, that's not a lot of savings.



2 million dollars may not be "a lot" but it's another 2 million they didn't have before.


You can fix a lot of potholes with 2 million.


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## ShtRnsdownhill (Jan 13, 2016)

OpenSights said:


> Awesome idea!
> 
> https://returntonow.net/2020/02/20/...53nxPVl24ZMT0J7Kz7lLpAh8yMiWM4H27NlN3WLbliecY


The turbines can only be installed in places where municipal water pipes flow downhill, as using electricity to pump water through them would defeat the purpose.
The four turbines are expected to produce at least $2 million worth of free electricity over the next 20 years. More turbines would produce more.




it probably cost double to put those turbines in and add in maintenance they saved nothing but it cost more..


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## skoronesa (Oct 27, 2015)

ShtRnsdownhill said:


> it probably cost double to put those turbines in and add in maintenance they saved nothing but it cost more..


Here's another article with a better explanation:

Portland Now Generates Electricity From Turbines Installed In City Water Pipes

_Once fully operational, the installation is expected to generate $2,000,000 worth of renewable energy capacity over twenty years, based on “an average of 1,100 megawatt hours of energy per year, enough electricity to power up to 150 homes." *The money generated will be split among the project’s investors, as well as will be used to recoup the cost of construction, and ongoing upkeep of the system.* After 20 years the Portland Water Bureau will have the right to own the entire project and all subsequent energy and profit generated by it. _

It looks like the cost is not public and it wasn't paid for by the city either, it was paid for by a group of private investors. That tells me that people who have lots of money and invest for a living think it will be quite profitable and the city has no financial risk here if it doesn't work well.

Sounds like a good deal for the city to me.


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## SchmitzPlumbing (May 5, 2014)

if the govt isnt gonna fund it, it probably will turn a profit. like i said its probably better than wind towers.


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## OpenSights (Mar 23, 2015)

ShtRnsdownhill said:


> The turbines can only be installed in places where municipal water pipes flow downhill, as using electricity to pump water through them would defeat the purpose.
> The four turbines are expected to produce at least $2 million worth of free electricity over the next 20 years. More turbines would produce more.
> 
> 
> ...


We have water towers here. Yes, water is pumped up, but gravity at the tower.


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## skoronesa (Oct 27, 2015)

OpenSights said:


> We have water towers here. Yes, water is pumped up, but gravity at the tower.





The best system I have seen was a cabin on a lake in the middle of nowhere.


They had a little 12v fish pond pump in the lake which ran off solar panels and slowly filled a water storage tank in the attic. The pump didn't move much at a time but it was always pumping when the sun was out. The tank was large enough that you could go a couple days flushing the toilet with overcast skys without having to worry.




Scale up that kind of a system and you're golden. You could hook up some battery storage so that the pump can run even at night and if you hook a turbine to a discharge from the tank you could have emergency power by draining the tank.








.


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## OpenSights (Mar 23, 2015)

skoronesa said:


> The best system I have seen was a cabin on a lake in the middle of nowhere.
> 
> 
> They had a little 12v fish pond pump in the lake which ran off solar panels and slowly filled a water storage tank in the attic. The pump didn't move much at a time but it was always pumping when the sun was out. The tank was large enough that you could go a couple days flushing the toilet with overcast skys without having to worry.
> ...


Sounds like something my hippie mom would dream up!:vs_laugh::vs_laugh:

Joking a side, I can see that on a home scale for sure! Add government municipalities and engineers and corruptions.... 

Still a good idea to harness energy as long as it’s cost effective.


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## jakewilcox (Sep 3, 2019)

skoronesa said:


> Why don't the internet mouths who criticize this stuff not understand you have to read the whole article?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


How nice. You are so kind.


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## skoronesa (Oct 27, 2015)

jakewilcox said:


> If they had to pump that water to a tank, they loose energy from that POS. Why don't engineers who think this stuff up not understand this crap. ENERGY isn't free. Unless it comes from a nuclear reactor.







jakewilcox said:


> How nice. You are so kind.





You can dish it out but can't take it? 







.


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## ShtRnsdownhill (Jan 13, 2016)

skoronesa said:


> You can dish it out but can't take it?
> 
> 
> 
> ...



if your gona play in the kitchen you better be able to stand the heat.....:vs_laugh::vs_laugh::vs_laugh:


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## ShtRnsdownhill (Jan 13, 2016)

SchmitzPlumbing said:


> if the govt isnt gonna fund it, it probably will turn a profit. like i said its probably better than wind towers.



it seems anything that starts out as a good profitable idea gets corrupted too soon and then becomes a money draw on the taxpayer....


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## ShtRnsdownhill (Jan 13, 2016)

skoronesa said:


> The best system I have seen was a cabin on a lake in the middle of nowhere.
> 
> 
> They had a little 12v fish pond pump in the lake which ran off solar panels and slowly filled a water storage tank in the attic. The pump didn't move much at a time but it was always pumping when the sun was out. The tank was large enough that you could go a couple days flushing the toilet with overcast skys without having to worry.
> ...



thats better than the turbines in a water system, much easier to replace or have a backup pump than to shot down a water system for repair, or build a bypass....


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