Water Vortex Power Plant Debuts in Switzerland

A new way to generate electricity is being implemented in Switzerland. It's a special water vortex power plant that bears the name of well known inventor, Bertrand Piccard. Our Swiss correspondent has more.

Bertrand Piccard has already made a name for himself as the man who flew the first non-stop round-the-world balloon flight. He's also the man who invented the Solar Impulse -- an airplane that runs only on solar energy. And now he's promoting a new kind of water energy system in Schöftland, Switzerland.

[Bertrand Piccard, President, Solar Impulse]: (male English)
"With new technology we can produce much cleaner energy and be much more sustainable."

Piccard agreed to be the patron for this first-of-its-kind water vortex power plant in Switzerland. The plant, which now carries Piccard's name, might take power generation to a new level.

[Bertrand Piccard, President, Solar Impulse]: (male english)
"The project that is here, that is integrated here is a turbine in a little river producing electricity on a cheap basis and in a very clean way."

This pilot project basin is 21 feet wide and has a level difference of five feet. Depending on the amount of water, it can produce between 10 and 15 kilowatts of energy. That's enough energy for 20-25 Swiss households.

[Bertrand Piccard, President, Solar Impulse]: (male English)
"A lot of people believe that we need more innovation and more development before being able to produce clean energy. This is not true."

So far, 25 countries have expressed interest in building water vortex power plants and are ready to invest in this new water energy. Ecuador is one of them.

[Rafael Paredes, Ambassador of Ecuador in Switzerland]:
"We have the geographic characteristics to be easy to have this kind of machines and this kind of technology to use in our country."

To build a water vortex power plant in a river, the land must have a downward slope of at least 2.3 feet and the water must flow at a minimum rate of 265 gallons per second.

The inventors have decided to build the water vortex power plant only in rivers that need to be re-naturalized so that they can guarantee maximum benefit to the environment. They also ensure that fish can pass the water power plant without being harmed, either up or downstream.

NTD News, Schöftland, Switzerland.

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[jasamkrafen]

@mewsez Hahah . right away-

[Indygoguy]

Question. Electricity can be used to split water into hydrogen and oxygen. Hydrogen is lighter than air and will naturally rise. Hydrogen, when combusted, produces water. This power plant uses the power of falling water. If they used this generator to split water, could the hydrogen then be allowed to rise up to a great height, combusted and the resulting water collected and could that water then be used to power a series of such power plants all the way down?

[markcaver1]

@meshyx I'm assuming you have your electric plate on 24hrs a day then...! Electric plates are used for short periods of time. 10-15kws is the average demand of 20-25 houses averaged over 24hrs..... There are times (dinner etc,) that instant demand is obviously much higher. At midnight - 6am I would hazard a guess it would be almost zero. Unless of course they were using cheaper night rate power....

[meshyx]

"between 10 and 15 kilowatts of energy. That's enough energy for 20-25 Swiss households."

ONE electric heater or cooking plate uses 2 kw on full power. These Swiss households must be hobbit houses that cook and heat with firewood.

[mewsez]

make it so!

[kouyos]

base on kct ( The Kouris Turbine Generator) - 1996 technology- i think.

[ZeroFossilFuel]

Love it!

[megatwingo]

That´s the way to go. Masses of such little river power generators will be the replacement for many of the dangerous and dirty old power plants.

Thumbs up!