The idea behind the concept of a toilet turbine is remarkably simple. The turbines are installed in water pipes where water is running downhill. Utilizing gravity and water pressure, the turbines turn when water rushes past. Hence, whenever there is water discharge, such as when the citizens of Portland flush their toilets, the turbines turn and produce electricity.
Gregg Semier, CEO of Lucid Energy, invented the toilet turbine and convinced Portland, Oregon to give it a try. In the small pilot program, the electricity generated by the turbines has already paid for the project itself. Semier says that he’s following his dream of “helping water become more sustainable” by developing the toilet turbines and what he calls a “smart piping system.”