Archimedes screw generators for sustainable energy development

The Archimedes screw has been used as a pump since antiquity and has more recently been used to generate hydroelectric power in plants up to about 200 kW. Archimedes screw generators (ASGs) operate as run-of-river, have low environmental impact and are a uniquely efficient means of generating hydroelectricity at sites with very low head and moderate flow. Experience with ASGs in the developed world suggests they also have the potential to be utilized for rural electrification in developing regions with reliable low head water resources.