Laserfiche WebLink
<br /> <br />Small scale hydro sites also present certain challenges <br />that should be known from the onset of a project: <br /> <br />Development costs will be between $800- <br />2,400/kilowatt of installed capacity depending on <br />factors such as length of penstock, length of <br />transmission line, and whether the work is con- <br />tracted or done "in-house". These costs do not <br />take into consideration construction of a dam. <br /> <br />Development requires substantial front-end <br />capital with payback ranging from approximately <br />one to five years after initiation. <br /> <br />Developing a hydrosi te requires expertise in <br />hydrology, civil engineering, electrical engineer- <br />ing, construction, finance, taxation, regulatory <br />and permitting procedures, contract negotia- <br />tions, environmental analysis, public utility law, <br />and real estate law. <br /> <br />There may be some environmental alterations of <br />a site involved, including a change in the aesthe- <br />tics of the setting. <br /> <br />In Colorado, many potential hydro sites are <br />connected to irrigational projects which flow <br />only from spring to fall, or are on waterways <br />with substantial seasonal flow variations. <br /> <br />In developing a small scale hydro site, many activities <br />must occur simultaneously. The steps include: <br /> <br />Deciding Who Will Develop The Site <br />Prefeasibility Study <br />Feasibility Study <br /> <br />5 <br />