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IMPLEMENTING PRACTICAL PICO-HYDROPOWER
Impact/Purpose:
The proposed research will study the feasibility of pico-hydropower implementation and provide the quantitative data and design necessary to implement a micro-hydropower system within the Rochester Institute of Technology’s new Golisano Institute for Sustainability (GIS) building. This work will test a micro-hydropower unit in the lab, use data from these tests to determine an efficient implementation design, and quantify the economic and environmental impacts from such implementation. Phase II would then integrate the unit into the current rainwater collection and storage infrastructure present in the new GIS building.
Description:
Deliverables for this proposal will be energy output data modeled from experimental testing of the hydropower unit and monitoring of the stormwater handling infrastructure in the GIS building; along with a design and engineering plan for implementation and building integration to be carried out in Phase II. This research project is innovative in that micro-hydropower has not been extensively studied for use in the built environment. The project is also extremely interdisciplinary due to the varied backgrounds of the student team (undergraduate focuses in fine arts, graphic design, civil engineering, sculpture, interior design, industrial design, etc.), focus on the PI (material science and sustainability), and the involvement of supporters (the design-build team for the GIS building). Successful results will advance technical and practical knowledge for the feasibility of hydropower in the built environment. Increasing the opportunity to use this green energy source within urban environments has potential to reduce the impacts from fossil fuel usage including resource depletion, air and water pollution, and hazardous wastes. When able to make use of current stormwater drainage and collection systems, this also provides a competitive economic advantage as dollar savings would result from offsetting other energy sources.