Hydrovolts, a hydrokinetic turbine company recently got into news for its innovative hydrokinetic turbine, which will use a software from Autodesk Inc for generating green energy. The smaller version of these turbines can be installed quickly and are capable of generating power within an hour. The turbines can be installed in rivers, canals or any water body, but the company aims to install them in wastewater treatment plants. In fact, the company has been in talks with Veolia Environmental Solutions, a grand wastewater treatment processor, for the implementation of its idea.
As per Burt Hamner, CEO Hydrovolts, the reason to focus on wastewater treatment is the opportunities available in US. There are over 26,000 wastewater treatment plants and over 100,000 industry treatment plants in country. Emphasis is on the plants, which have flows of 25 to 40 million gallons every day. Bigger turbines would be needed in big cities, where entire rivers would run through these plants. Although Hamner has been operating in the field of tidal turbine since 2005, and micro hydropower since 2007, but this idea is a challenge for him too. The primary stage of finances has been completed and the secondary stage of over a $5 million is under completion.
The Portable turbine is estimated to cost around $2000. The canal turbine, which will have two sizes, ranging from 2 kW to 10 kW, will cost $20,000 and $40,000. Price of the waterfall turbine, which will supposedly have a modular design and two sizes is yet to be determined as it is still in the development stage. Although these turbines are not big energy generators, but being cheap and easy to install, they are definitely a better substitute for producing electricity.
Via:CleanTechnica
