Conference article

Micro hydro systems can be regarded as a renewable energy source resulting from the natural hydrological cycle; it is by some considered sustainable due to the lack of impoundment of water and assumed negligible environmental impact. Experience with wind energy has highlighted that as the uptake of renewable energy technologies increases so government policies need to keep pace if public complaints and rejection of these technologies is to be averted. Studies on micro hydropower; particularly in an urban setting where propagation of noise is a planning issue; have been very limited. This paper focuses on the acoustic environmental impacts of micro hydropower considering a Reverse Archimedean Screw (RAS). Acoustic samples were taken directly above the RAS; and on a 5m interval along a transect and then at; 30m and 60m along another transect. Two further transects were considered and sampling was made at 30m and 60m. Initial results indicate that during normal operation at 25kW the screw would be barely perceptible beyond 60m; the weir provides significant masking of the turbine noise. It also shows that the noise generated is directional in nature at this site.

Micro hydro; Acoustics; Noise; Renewable energy; Environmental impact