MARKHAM, ONT.—The Algonquin Eco-Lodge—located at the southern tip of Algonquin Provincial Park near Bancroft, Ontario—flipped the switch on a unique project that will use the natural power of water to provide electricity for the lodge. Nestled on the shore of picturesque Moffat Pond, about 2.5 kilometers from the lodge’s parking lot, the lodge boasts true tranquillity as guests hike in and regular vehicle traffic is nonexistent. However, this peacefulness comes at the cost of being off the power grid.
With a desire to make the Algonquin Eco-Lodge more comfortable for guests, and to be true to the goal of being as eco-friendly as possible, lodge owner Robin Banerjee embarked on a challenging mission to set up a simple yet effective means of harnessing energy. Water drawn from Moffat Pond is piped downhill, following the natural course of a waterfall, and is passed through turbines which spin to create electricity. From the waterfall, water drops about 60 feet over a distance of 450 to 500 feet. About 450 feet of pipe was needed for the project. The micro-hydro installation now generates more than enough electricity for the lodge with minimal environmental impact.
“The micro-hydro project was a challenge, that’s for sure,” Banerjee said. “However, all of the effort was certainly worthwhile. Now we’ve got the soft glow of light, but we’re in the middle of nowhere. The goal was to provide the Algonquin Eco-Lodge with electricity but we didn’t want to be cutting a swath through the forest for power lines. The micro-hydro installation has enhanced the stay for our guests.”
Project Cost $85,000
The micro-hydro installation cost $85,000. Banerjee said he and his staff did a lot of the work themselves. “I did have to hire a local contractor to finish it all off,” he said.
Micro-hydro installations are extremely scarce in Ontario, and even in Canada. While gravity-fed hydroelectric projects are common on a larger scale, their use in the lodging industry—and especially in such a remote location—is very uncommon. The micro-hydro project was completely self-funded as there are no government programs available for small scale commercial hydro projects. The entire project took five years to go from concept to completion—two years of planning and securing the appropriate permits, an additional two years for the turbines to be built, and one year for installation and renovations.
The Algonquin Eco-Lodge Micro-Hydro installation currently generates 8 kW of power—the amount needed to power eight average Canadian homes—and will go up to 12 kW next year when the second turbine is fully operational. Banerjee (a former structural engineer) has calculated that through the use of electricity generated by the micro-hydro project, better insulation and less reliance on wood and propane, the lodge’s greenhouse gas emissions will be reduced by 7.5 tons per year. Care was taken to minimize any direct environmental impact by locating the water pipe outside of the stream bed and returning all water running through the system back into the stream.
Go to the Algonquin Eco-Lodge website to view a video that describes the installation.
