An Oregon city on the edge of the Portland suburbs is taking water flowing through the municipal treatment system and converting that built-in pressure into electricity fully powering a mission-critical facility there.

The city of Tualatin has completed its first-ever in-pipe hydropower project to energize its City Services building. The municipality eventually plans to include a microgrid with solar and battery storage power to create more carbon-free capacity powering municipal facilities.

“This project shows how we can use innovative infrastructure to strengthen reliability and lay the groundwork for future backup power,” Tualatin Mayor Frank Bubenik said in a statement. It’s the kind of smart investment that can improve reliability, reduce energy costs and help protect our community for the long term.”

The system is installed where drinking water from nearby Bull Run Reservoir enters the city of Tualatin’s water distribution system. Oregon-based InPipe Energy developed the project tapping pressure to generate around-the-clock electricity without diluting water delivery.

The 56-kW system is expected to generate about 270,000 KWh of renewable electricity annually, equal to the city services facility demand. It also could save the city about $26,000 annually in energy costs, according to the report.

“Building a more affordable future demands innovative ideas. That’s exactly what Tualatin is doing with their new in-pipe hydropower project,” Oregon Congresswoman Andrea Salinas said at the ceremony. “Adding clean energy like hydropower to our water systems and solar to our homes and buildings can help bring down energy costs and combat the affordability crisis. Projects like this show how communities can create clean energy by making the most of the infrastructure we already rely on.”

Indeed, the project is small in some ways but still requires federal, state and local engagement. Representatives from the Oregon Department of Energy, utility Portland General Electric and nonprofit Energy Trust of Oregon attended the completion celebration.

The Tualatin project is unique, although EnergyTech has covered some developing in-pipe hydropower projects nationwide. Pennsylvania-based St. Mary’s Area Water Authority last year announced it was contracting New York-based Rentricity to develop a power system from the raw water intake line.

Several years ago, Rentricity also worked with California American Water to work on the in-pipe Highland Tank Conduit-Hydro Clean Energy Project.

Farther north up the Pacific coast in Tualatin, Oregon, local municipal authorities there are excited about the scaled possibilities of small-scale, in-pipe hydropower. The project was partially funded by Portland General Electric’s Green Future Renewable Development Fund and with about $270,000 in successful funding guidance from Energy Trust.

“When cities are willing to explore innovative ideas, they can unlock far more value from the infrastructure than they already have,” said Tracy Scott, director of energy programs with Energy Trust of Oregon. “This project will generate renewable power while helping Tualatin reduce its energy costs year after year, leaving more resources available for other community priorities. That’s the kind of practical, lasting value we’re looking to help communities achieve.”

An October 2022 report by the Oak Ridge National Laboratory found potential for adding about 1.4 GW of capacity through conduits creating in-pipe hydroelectricity nationwide. These conduit opportunities could include existing pipelines and irrigation canals, according to the ORNL and U.S. Department of Energy.

State of the Market Report: Power Quality Fluctuations

White Paper by Ubicquia