From the Telluride Daily Planet (Celine Wright):
Though still in very early planning stages, the hope is that the town will apply and receive a grant in order to be able to conduct a feasibility study for micro-hydro power in Mountain Village. The Colorado Water Resources and Power Development Authority offers grants and loans to help local governments develop their hydropower resources; they still have $100,000 left in their 2010 grant funds. Applications are due by Aug. 1. Kurt Johnson of Telluride Energy will write and submit the feasibility assessment grant application. Johnson has written four other CWRPDA grant applications, and all have received funding. Last week Johnson met with Scotty McIntyre, director of public works in the Village. According to a town release on the subject: “Based on Scotty’s preliminary data, we have reason to believe our water system has potential for significant on-site energy production.”[…]
And if Mountain Village ends up receiving the grant: “The study will take a look at a map of our water system, the pressures the pipes contain, and the distances and elevations the pipes travel, crunch the numbers, and see if a significant amount of energy can be feasibly be generated,” says Deanna Drew, the town’s environmental services coordinator. Mountain Village has an extensive water system: more than 50 miles of pipeline and 27 pressure release valves (PRVs). With this, the potential for micro-hydro system could be there. “The city of Ouray is trying to replace a PRV with a turbine that generates electricity, it will be a great model, and something that might also be feasible here,” says Drew.