Wedoany.com Report-Dec.7, Rentricity Inc has commissioned a new in-conduit hydropower installation in partnership with the St. Mary's Area Water Authority (SMAWA) in Elk County, Pennsylvania, United States. The system will generate renewable electricity by recovering energy from existing pressure in SMAWA's gravity-fed raw water pipeline.

The project utilises Rentricity's Flow-to-Wire™ turbine-generator technology operating at approximately 26 psi (less than 60 feet of head), marking the company's lowest-head application to date. Rentricity is responsible for full design, engineering, and supply of the turnkey system.

The initiative demonstrates that drinking water utilities with modest pressure differentials can integrate small-scale hydropower without compromising water quality or delivery reliability.

"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 installation is projected to produce approximately 157,680 kWh annually, offsetting more than 2,400 metric tons of CO₂ equivalent over a 40-year lifespan.

"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's Flow-to-Wire™ systems are certified for potable water applications (NSF 61/372) and can also be deployed in irrigation and industrial pipelines. Each unit is custom-engineered to match site-specific hydraulic conditions.

With over 30 completed projects across North America, Rentricity highlights in-conduit hydropower as an increasingly important element of the water-energy nexus, enabling utilities to generate revenue, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and modernise infrastructure using existing assets. The St. Mary's project adds to this portfolio and further validates the technology’s applicability across a wide range of pressure and flow conditions found in municipal water networks.