As a small (20kW) micro hydro, pico grid installation, our local utility deemed our few connected residences, "commercial, demand net metered". The surprising effect (to me) was that we incur demand charges no matter the direction of power flow. So the greater the energy support we provide to a sagging grid the greater the demand charges to us. Not fair!
About Me
- Rob
- Cuddebackville, New York, United States
- I am a retired electronics engineer, educator, businessman and builder of micro hydro installations for fun and sometimes even profit. This one uses a pump/motor as a turbine/generator using a 200 ft waterfall in our back yard. It is currently producing 15KW. I will be tweaking it to take advantage of greater winter flows. It's not the product, but the process... I enjoy doing the most with the least. So this renewable energy source cost less than $2 per watt of capacity not counting any labor and engineering.