Hydropower has a great advantage over solar and wind energy: it is reliable, typically consistent (unless severe drought dries out rivers and lakes) and easily predictable. What if it could be made more ubiquitous? Portland startup Lucid Energy has imagined harnessing the energy generated by drinking water as it flows through turbines integrated in gravity-fed municipal drinking water pipes. At the end of last year, Lucid started deploying its technology in Portland, providing 200kW—enough electricity to power 150 homes. Not only does the system produce electricity around the clock, but it does so out of sight and without any environmental impact. And it’s only about one-quarter of the cost of wind or solar infrastructure. Soon a new tool for utilities to add to their portfolio of renewables?
Lucid Energy installs hydropower in municipal drinking water pipes
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