https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/jan/17/how-climate-friendly-waterwheels-are-coming-around-again
From the Himalayas and Nepal to Northern Ireland, sustainable source of energy seems to be back
The roughly 2-metre-tall waterwheel, installed in a village in Kashmir, India, was the result of years of design work and development by researchers at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) and partners.
“You have this continuous power flow,” said Michael Erhart, the chair of renewable and sustainable energy systems at TUM. “It’s not intermittent like the radiation of the sun or wind power.”
Waterwheels have been around for thousands of years. Formerly used to drive mechanical processes such as milling or hammering, they were a crucial component in the industrial revolution. Today, waterwheels connected to generators can produce zero-carbon electricity as they spin.
waterwheels could also power pumps designed to move water up hills and irrigate fields on mountainsides.
In the foothills of the Himalayas, a group of villagers hauled a sturdy metal waterwheel into place. Its horizontal blades soon caught the rushing water of the stream directly below it. The machine began to spin, and electricity began to flow.
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8 w
A beautiful fusion of tradition and innovation
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8 w
Waterwheels are a great example of how we can use natural forces to produce clean power
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8 w
Thanks to Guardian for reporting on the many researches going on. We also give due credit to Technical University researchers.
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8 w
This is a good innovation, it doesn't cost much but it's a game-changer, we have solutions we only need to act on them, good innovation that needs to be taught worldwide.
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8 w
@zelda_ninga_442 Spreading awareness and education globally can accelerate positive change. Let's push for it
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7 w
@grace_njeri_804 very true.
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8 w
This is a great innovation for a better world
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8 w
Waterwheels are an effective way to harness energy from flowing water. With advanced technology, they can be engineered to produce sustainable energy.
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8 w
@walter_lungayi And it doesn't look costly so it is an easy innovation for any village or country wanting to invest in clean energy.
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8 w
@walter_lungayi Harnessing the power of flowing water in this way is a great step toward a greener future
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8 w
Who knew that technology from the past would come to change the future.
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8 w
This is a brilliant innovation
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8 w
@annett_michuki Re-inventing the wheel literally.