The Himalayan Mountains tower over some of the most rugged terrain and harshest climate conditions on the planet. Melting snows from Mount Everest, K2 and hundreds of other snow-capped peaks carve out more than 6,000 rivers in Nepal, China, Bhutan, India and Pakistan. The vast majority of people living along these remote rivers and valleys survive in under-developed living conditions in geographically isolated areas. Like most developing countries, basic services—like heat and electricity—are scarce and inconsistent. Homes and schools in tiny villages do not have reliable electricity. Only a few homes have small solar panels that provide power for one or two lights. Small stoves, burning animal waste or scarce wood resources provide the heat and cooking for villagers. Unfortunately, connecting these small communities to existing power grids and centralized power is cost prohibitive.
The resistant bearings guarantee consistent power supply by overcoming abrasive materials in glacier runoff and river debris.
05/13/2015
Diamond bearings prevent abrasive water from wearing away the components of this hydrokinetic power generation system in remote Nepal. (Image courtesy of US Synthetic)
The clean energy project relies on an in-stream hydrokinetic power-generation system submerged in a flume in a nearby river. The 5-kilowatt system converts kinetic energy in the river's water current to electrical power. The pollution-free electricity is then transmitted to the village.
The clean energy project uses the flow of the river to keep the hydrokinetic turbine rotors constantly spinning. The generator's simple design provides clean and continuous power with an extremely small environmental footprint. The industry's first above-water direct-drive generator coupled with the water-lubricated, long-lasting diamond bearings in the underwater turbine rotor eliminate environmental contaminants like grease and oil.
Because snow melts throughout the year in the high Himalayas and flows down into the expansive river system, villagers have access to a significant, consistent potential energy. Hydroelectric power generation is more reliable and, in many locations, more easily accessed than other renewable energy sources like wind or solar. The rivers in the Himalayas offer one of the largest, untapped green energy power sources in the world.
The first system will be installed at the remote mountain village of Ringmo. Ringmo is on the shores of Lake Phoksundo in the Shey Phoksundo National Park, high in the Dolpa region in Nepal. A suitable location along the river was chosen in April 2013.