Harvesting Wasted Energy in Water Distribution Network in Buea-Cameroon

Pressures are dissipated in break pressure tanks and pressure reducing valves of the Buea water distribution network, resulting in significant energy losses. The network presents 18 potential sites with a total of approximately 976.21 MWh dissipated per year. A laboratory micro-hydro turbine prototype recovers this energy; measured output reached 192 mW at 2.6 kg/s mass flow rate and 106 Ω optimal load resistance, demonstrating the feasibility of micro hydropower harvesting from the network.