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I have some friends that are living on a island in the Thames, and they have asked me to look into a few renewable energy projects for them to install and demonstrate. now, I am happy with solar water heating and I know of many fine products that would be ideal for them. I am confident with small 12v systems,a mixed wind and solar would be great for them and easy to demonstrate.

now the thing I need advice and ideas on is the massive river that flows around them. really, I know there is energy there, but don't know how to harness it.

any ideas, examples or products welcome.

Very simplistic animation, but it might give you a few ideas

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kDfnloFMwH8

I wonder if you could mount small water turbines on a pole or something pointed out in the water? or divert water inland for this purpose? which would probably be more ideal (as they could control it more efficiently)

But I'd think wind and solar are the most viable/ affordable options.





I know someone with a turbine that isn't getting used


*Annpan runs and hides before John throws something at her*

John Headstrong wrote:now the thing I need advice and ideas on is the massive river that flows around them. really, I know there is energy there, but don't know how to harness it.

I'd be interested in that too. I'm sure there must be small systems to make use of this... And that would be more reliable than the wind and solar systems, 24-7!

Here's a couple of articles that might help:
http://www.backwoodshome.com/articles2/ ... n0711.html
http://www.backwoodshome.com/articles/behrens16.html

The first covers, in detail, how one couple gets power from a small stream. The other is more general and covers a variety of ways to harness water for power.

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