About - Hydro-power Feasibility (Bodega Bay)
As part of the UC Carbon Neutrality Initiative, Bodega Marine Lab is working to become the world’s first zero net carbon marine research and education facility. Each day, thousands of gallons of seawater are pumped up a 50-foot cliff to the facility. Students were tasked with investigating the feasibility of a small hydropower installation to recover some of this embodied energy. Students used historical outflow data to identify the best three designs and performed an economic analysis to estimate payback time for each. Their results show that the best design uses a crossflow turbine and has an estimated payback period of 21 years.