Micro Hydroelectricity

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OVERSHOT WATERWHEEL

 

Generating elektricity with a waterwheel

At the water mill in Moux-en-Morvan an overshot water wheel has been placed. The generated electricity is used to drive a heat pump and supply the entire house with electricity.

The watermill has a small lake for the storage of water. This creates a reserve when more power is needed. Previously, the miller saved up water so that he had water available during working hours. This is less important for electricity production because the grid functions as a buffer. But with the storage option, the generated power can be matched to the required power. At the moment, the storage facility of the lake is not yet used, because then a regulation has to be made that operates the supply sluice depending on the required power. This is another plan for the future.

The mechanical power of the waterwheel is fed through a gearing to an induction generator. It supplies up to 5 kW of electrical power. It runs parallel to the grid. This is the simplest solution, but some provisions have been made to reduce blindness and monitor grid quality. These are both requirements of the French grid operator ENEDIS.