Image courtesy of Rentricity
Rentricity Inc has announced a new in-conduit hydropower project with the St. Mary’s Area Water Authority (SMAWA) in Elk County, Pennsylvania US. The installation will generate electricity from existing pressure within SMAWA’s gravity-fed raw water line.
The project will use Rentricity’s Flow-to-Wire™ turbine-generator system at a pressure of about 26 psi (less than 60ft of head). According to the company, this will be its lowest-head Flow-to-Wire™ installation to date. Rentricity will design, engineer, and supply the turnkey system.
The system is intended to show how US drinking water utilities with limited head conditions can add small-scale hydropower without affecting water quality or service.
Growing electricity and water demand in the US, including from AI-driven data center expansion, is increasing interest in decentralised clean energy sources. Rentricity’s technology captures energy at pressure-reducing points in water systems and converts it to power for local use or sale to the grid.
“Turning water infrastructure into clean power is no longer just an environmental choice – it’s an operational necessity,” said Frank Zammataro, CEO and Co-Founder of Rentricity. “This project with St. Mary’s demonstrates how existing municipal systems can become distributed clean energy producers, helping communities’ lower costs, reduce emissions, and build resilience into the grid. As data centers and AI systems drive future energy demand, energy recovery solutions like this will play an essential role.”
The St. Mary’s installation is expected to generate about 157,680kWh annually. Over a 40-year operating life, the company estimates an offset of more than 2,400 metric tons of CO₂e.
“This project helps us do more with the resources we already manage,” said Randy Gradizzi, Chairman of the St. Mary’s Area Water Authority. “By capturing clean energy from our own system, we’re lowering our operating costs and doing our part to support regional sustainability. It’s a win for our customers, our community, and the environment.”
Rentricity says its Flow-to-Wire™ systems are certified for use in drinking water applications (NSF 61/372) and can also be deployed in irrigation and industrial systems. Installations are custom-designed to the hydraulic conditions of each site.
The company reports more than 30 completed projects in North America and describes in-conduit hydropower as a growing component of the “water-energy nexus” for utilities seeking to reduce emissions and modernise infrastructure.
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