1. An Introduction to Micro-Hydro
Electric Power [Micro-HEP]
Micro-HEP are water turbines with a rated
power output of less than 100kW

2. Three Types of HEP Installations
• High Head – Using water from high up stored water
such as a Highland Loch
• Medium Head – Using impounded water.
• Low Head – ‘Run of the River’. No stored water

3. Stages from Idea to Installation
• Desktop Study
• Pre-Feasibility Study
• Feasibility Study
• Recommendation
• Planning Permission
• Abstraction Licence
• Civil Works
• Installation & Commissioning.

4. Simple Calculation to Assess HEP
Potential
• 6 x Head [m] x Flow Rate
[m³/s] = Power [kW]
• High head systems need
little water flow to generate
significant power
• Low head systems need
plenty of water

5. Income & Returns on Investment
of HydroElectric Power
• HEP tends to be more expensive to install than wind
turbines or PV due to the cost of civil works.
• The power production of HEP is about double that of
a wind turbine for the rated system, as the system runs
all the time between known flow rates.
• The FiT rate is 19.31p/kWh plus export tariff [<15kW installation
to April 2016]
• Hydro schemes should last more than fifty years.

6. Pitfalls
• The planning process can be long and
frustrating.
• The Abstraction Licence process can be long
and frustrating.
• The development may require a fish pass /eel
pass, which may add to the civil work costs.
• Flood Prevention
• Remote sites will have expensive electrical grid
connections.

7. Example of a Low Head 90kW, £800k
Project
• Two 45kW Axial Turbines.
• EA installed fish pass
• Generates 400MWh/year
• Income £100,000 / year

8. Example of a 10kW £60k Medium
Head system
• Cross Flow turbine
• Lake sediment trap
restoration
• Generates 30,000
kWh/year
• Installation total cost
£72k

9. Example of a 8kW £90k
low head project
• Breast shot water wheel.
• Eel & Fish Pass
• Generates 27,000 kWh output

10. Example of a High Head £80k
project
• Pelton Wheel turbine
• 150m Head
• 30kW output
• Six year payback