Rentricity Completes First Irrigation In-pipe Hydropower Energy Recovery System
New York, NY (PRWEB) July 05, 2017 -- Rentricity Inc., the innovative in-pipe hydropower clean energy recovery company located in New York City has completed its first project within an irrigation system in Richmond, Utah. Rentricity’s Flow-to-Wire system captures excess pressure within gravity-fed water distribution pipe lines, converting it into clean energy for the electric grid or the customer's onsite use. The three turbines, totaling 360 kW, were energized on June 6th for the first time and are located within the Richmond Irrigation Company (RIC) distribution network. This first-of-a-kind project was designed to upgrade Richmond's water infrastructure for drought protection while capturing excess pressure for clean energy generation.
The in-pipe hydropower upgrade was part of a Bureau of Reclamation project designed to eliminate evaporation and seepage in the drought-stricken region. “By transitioning to a pressurized pipeline, we have eliminated seepage and evaporation losses experienced in our previous open-ditch system where 40% of the diverted water was lost.” says Terry Spackman, President of RIC. “The addition of the microgrid to generate power from the pressurized irrigation water while continuing to serve our shareholders just made perfect sense!” he added. The clean energy generated will be transported to Rocky Mountain Power’s grid. Eric Franson, Managing Partner of Franson Civil Engineers adds, “Rentricity’s technical proficiency in energy recovery designs is outstanding and has produced a quality system for Richmond Irrigation Company.”
The project uses Rentricity’s successful Flow-to-Wire system which provides cost-effective reverse-pump turbines with a state-of-the-art control system for power integration, monitoring and control. “Rentricity wants to see more water infrastructure strategic plans include energy recovery and in-pipe hydropower technology at the drawing board stage.” said Al Spinell, Co-founder. He added, “The Richmond and Coveville sites will be a great best practice case study for water operators seeking to rebuild their infrastructure with smart and sustainable components.” The site design includes a new touchscreen control system as well as a smart phone-based monitoring and control application.
Rentricity continues to develop design standards and frameworks for engineering firms embarking on major infrastructure upgrades providing “energy recovery-ready” designs and cost-effective solutions helping to make in-pipe hydropower a part of every water system in the United States. As the US explores strategies for water infrastructure renewal, Rentricity believes in-pipe hydropower energy recovery will provide an additional method for pressure management, energy independence and resiliency.
About Rentricity Inc.
Rentricity Inc. (http://www.rentricity.com) is the nation’s leader in producing clean, renewable energy from hydrokinetic applications in potable drinking water distribution systems, industrial water systems, and irrigation systems. The Company, a graduate of NYC’s cleantech incubator, the Accelerator for a Clean & Renewable Economy (NYC ACRE), is based at 175 Varick Street, New York, NY 10013.
About Franson Civil Engineering
Franson Civil Engineers is a Utah corporation with offices located in American Fork. Founded in 1989, the firm's entire focus is on water resources engineering. FCE engineers and senior staff have spent their entire careers working with municipal and agricultural entities and have extensive experience in planning, environmental compliance, design, construction management, and operation and maintenance of water-related projects.
About Richmond Irrigation Company
The Richmond Irrigation Company is a nonprofit, mutual irrigation system supplying water to over 6,000 acres of agricultural properties in the Richmond, Utah region.
Frank Zammataro, Rentricity Inc., http://www.rentricity.com, +1 (732) 319-4501, [email protected]
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