From the Fort Collins Coloradoan (Trevor Hughes):
Zimmerle said generating power from the flowing canals hearkens back to the time when millers diverted streams to turn waterwheels to grind grain and power sawmills.
“I think there is a good picture of ‘back to the future’ here,” he said. Zimmerle added that even small hydroelectric projects can generate greater amounts of power than photovoltaic systems, and they generate power more consistently.
Zimmerle will speak about the project Feb. 16 in Berthoud at a full-day workshop, “Low Head Hydroelectric Opportunities for Ditch and Reservoir Companies,” sponsored by the Ditch and Reservoir Company Alliance. DARCA is a resource for networking, information exchange and advocacy among mutual ditch and reservoir companies throughout Colorado.
For decades, projects such as these have posed a difficult challenge because even small hydroelectric installations have to undergo virtually the same permitting process as something on the scale of the Hoover Dam. But an agreement between the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and Gov. Bill Ritter’s office is expected to speed up the process for such small projects, George said.