Rock River Micro-Hydro Generator Design Contest
Rock River Micro-Hydro Generator Design Contest
October 7, 2010
For immediate release
Winnebago County Green Business Awards and the Rock River Trail announce the “Micro-Hydro Power from the Rock River Contest”
Purpose: To challenge all people, schools and industries along the 285 miles of the Rock River to construct an American renewable energy product—a working micro-hydro generating device that will produce electrical energy from the flow of the Rock River.
Entry Fee: A fee of $25 per entry per classification
Prizes: First Prize cash award is for the device that produces the highest electrical power in loaded watts on the day of the competition and least cost of commercial production. Second and third prizes are a cash award from the same standard. Prize money will be derived from the pool of entry fees of $ 25 per entry and awarded as follows: First Place, 60 percent; Second Place, 30 percent; and Third Place, 10 percent.
Judging: Will be done by a blue-ribbon panel selected by the Rock River Trail and Winnebago County Green Business Awards community.
Scope: The scope of the contest will not be limited to current technology and/or technology that is in the patent process. Technology that is patentable should have patent protection in place prior to the submission of the contest application. All devices will compete for the highest loaded electrical output from a single standard platform and will be judged by watts produced at the time of the competition. The platform (base that the “turbine” is attached to) for the entry device will be limited to a dock or a pontoon attached to a dock. River speed will be limited to a minimum of 1 mph and less than 5 mph, with no specific speed defined for the day of the contest.
The competition is open to all individuals, elementary, middle and high schools, technology schools/colleges, junior colleges, universities and commercial companies that are within the boarders of the 10 counties of the main stream of the Rock River. Address all inquiries to admin@rockrivertrail.com or (815) 964-9767.
The contest devices are not limited to kinetic transference devices but are limited to two specific categories of non-ducted (no shroud, accumulation device) and ducted (shrouded, accumulation device). The device’s inflow (area that receives the river’s flow) area can be no larger than the square inches in a 24-inch diameter or 434-square-inch device. Contestants can enter either or both ducted and non-ducted systems categories with separate entry fees. The diameter of the ducting cannot exceed 48 inches as a diameter or a total of 1,810 square inches.
The contest will use only the regular flow of the Rock River between a minimum of 1 mph and the maximum of 10 mph. A standardized dock/pontoon attachment print will be provided to all entries. Electric connections will be specified in the official rules. Testing site will be augmented by the City of Rockford, and the winning product’s production may be explored in conjunction with the resources of Eiger Lab.
The “Micro-Hydro Power from the Rock River Contest” entries must be postmarked by midnight, Saturday, Sept. 10, 2011, and addressed to The Rock River Times, 128 N. Church St., Rockford, IL 61101. Ten finalists’ devices will be tested Sunday, Sept. 10, 2011. Finalists will be displayed and the winners announced at the Fourth Annual Winnebago County Green Business Awards Thursday, Oct. 6, 2011.
High school science class/professional design competition for most powerful micro-hydro, shore-station generators and storage systems to be awarded at the Winnebago County Green Business Awards this fall.
More information forthcoming or call (815) 964-9767 for more details.
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