Pico hydro developers
Dr Nigel Smith now runs Sustainable Control Systems (SCS), now based in Herefordshire, supplying Induction Generator Controllers and IGC kits and carrying out training in their manufacture. SCS also produces the Power Provider, a load limiting device which avoids the need for electricity meters, a product which is useful for rural electrification. The latest SCS system is an interface unit for grid-connected micro and pico hydro generators which meets the United Kingdom's G83 microgeneration standard. Nigel Smith is the author of a book on using Induction Motors as Generators (see under Publications below).
Dr Phil Maher now runs Pico Energy, based in Devon, which is mainly involved in the design and installation of pico hydro schemes in the UK, but is also involved in providing training and consultancy for pico hydro elsewhere in the world.
Dr Drona Upadhyay works for IT Power, which provides consultancy services for a range of renewable energy technologies.
Akkal Man Nakarmi still runs his company "Kathmandu Metal Industries" in Nepal, as you can read in an article about his work.
Dr Punit Singh, who collaborated on Pumps as Turbines work, while at the University of Karlsruhe, now runs Jalarka Harvesters, a small company in Bangalore, India, which is active in design and installation of pico hydro systems for rural communities, particularly using Pumps as Turbines.
Countries shown in green are known to be installing pico hydro for rural electrification (2007)
Other Organizations
ITDG (now Practical Action) support development of micro and pico hydro in various parts of the world.
Practical Action's Latin American office (Soluciones Practicas) in Peru is one of those working actively to promote pico hydro in the region.
The Pedley Wheel site has information on a successful design of "traditional" overshot waterwheel, implemented in the UK and also in Sri Lanka.
For more information about micro-hydro, check out the Micro Hydro Web Portal run by Wim Klunne.
We also have contact with Green Empowerment, an organization based in the US, which carries out training and support for renewable energy projects for rural electrification in a number of coutries. They are particularly active in supporting Pico Hydro with a partner organization ATDER-BL in Nicaragua.
A useful UK site for links to information on a range of technologies can be found at the Renewable Energy Centre.
Some micro and pico hydro projects have been recognized by the Ashden Awards, e.g. in Kenya and also in the north of Pakistan (AKRSP). 2007 finalists included Practical Action Peru and the Rural Technology Centre in Nepal for their work in supporting traditional mill owners.
If you think that a link to your organization's site would be appropriate here, please contact us.
Publications
Note that there are Manuals and Case Studies available on the Documents page of this site. Below are external links to books and articles on pico hydro.
Induction Motors as Generators for Micro-hydro Power by Nigel Smith is now available in its second edition.
Pumps as Turbines: A user's guide by Arthur Williams has also an expanded second edition, published in 2005.
Pico hydro for cost-effective lighting is an article in Boiling Point magazine, May 2007.
Assessment of Pico Hydro in Kenya is an article published in the Journal of Renewable Energy. It includes a comparison between pico hydro and solar home systems.
A recent paper on Mini-grid design for rural electrification: optimisation and applications was presented at a Universitas 21 energy conference in Birmingham, UK.