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| May 05, 2024 |
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General News: Feasibility Study of Hydro Project
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| The Black Rock water filter plant |
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| The water passes downhill through the forest from the reservoirs to the plant. |
October 19, 2009
A plan to tap into the hydro power generated by water feeding into Cornwall-on-Hudson’s water filtration plant in Black Rock Forest hit a snag with the release of a study showing just how hard it will be to reap sizeable benefits from the alternative energy source.
Village trustee Rick Gioia proposed the study last year and the board approved a $5,000 feasibiity study that is now in village hands. It shows that, given the current condition of the feeder pipe, only about 6,000 kilowatts could be generated each month. The water filter plant uses nearly 23,000 kilowatts per month when fully operational, according to Gioia. At that rate, the village could recoup its investment in 12 years.
Gioia acknowledges that the report is a “mixed bag,” but he is not ready to give up on the plan. He told his fellow board members last week that he would like to get outside funding to replace the 100-year-old cast iron feeder pipe, a move that could allow more pressure to build up on the line and double the amount of power generated. Under that scenario, the village could increase its savings to nearly half the cost of electricity needed to run the filter plant.
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Gioia also says that the village could benefit from an alliance with the Black Rock Forest Consortium, which is next to the plant. The Consortium’s science center already relies on solar power and geo-thermal heat for a large percentage of its energy needs and is working with the town of Cornwall to erect a wind turbine at its headquarters. Bill Schuster, the head of the consortium, wants to tap into the stream that runs by both his science center and the water plant to create a model hydro project that will be an educational resource for some of the hundreds of science students who come to the center each year. That project could fit with the village's plan and Gioia says a joint proposal for funding is now in the works.
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