Project Overview
Personal Hydroelectric Generator
In this modern day there is a high demand for electricity even in the most remote areas. Whether the need is for outdoor enthusiasts going camping, a secluded community in a third-world country, or military installations people want lights and heat. To supply this demand, the production of electricity in these types of regions is necessary. Several methods for generating electricity have been around for over a century however most are bulky, loud, and require an energy source such as gasoline to function. Currently, there are few effective, simple, quiet, and clean ways to get power to remote locations.
This project focuses on the conversion of a river or stream’s kinetic and potential energy into useable electricity in a location where access to the power grid is unavailable. Team 7 is an entrepreneurial-based group that defines their project objectives as designing a product that produces 200W of electricity, weighs less than 70lb, and takes up no more than 3ft3. Emphasis should be placed on the portability of this device.