Author(s) :

Yechan Park, Jovin Desai, Mustafa Penwala.

Volume/Issue :

Abstract :

Reliable electricity is essential in modern households, yet power outages from extreme weather events highlight the need for accessible, low-cost emergency energy solutions. This study investigates the feasibility of a DIY sink-powered micro-hydroelectric system that passively harvests electrical energy from routine household water use. A prototype 12V micro-turbine generator was tested under three controlled flow conditions (low, medium, and high) across 17 total trials (5–6 per condition). Voltage and current were measured using a digital multimeter, and instantaneous power was calculated as P = IV. The system produced a peak instantaneous power of approximately 1 W under high-flow conditions, with mean outputs of 0.06 W, 0.30 W, and 0.74 W for low, medium, and high flow respectively. Energy output per gallon ranged from approximately 2 J at low flow to over 25 J at high flow. One-way ANOVA confirmed statistically significant differences across conditions (F(2, 14) = 72.4, p < 0.001, η² = 0.91 for power; F(2, 14) = 89.7, p < 0.001, η² = 0.93 for energy), with all pairwise comparisons significant by post hoc Tukey HSD (p < 0.05). Extrapolating to conservative household faucet usage of 100 gallons per day, the system could accumulate approximately 2,000 J daily and 203 Wh annually — sufficient to power a 2 W LED for roughly 100 hours or provide 10+ full smartphone charges per year. These findings support the feasibility of tap-water-based micro-hydropower as a passive, accessible emergency energy solution.