Patent ID: 7932618

Claim:
A miniature hydro-power generation system, comprising: a plurality of energy storage devices; a hydro-power generator rotatable with a flow of liquid to produce electric power at a generator output; and a plurality of switches comprising a first switch electrically coupled between a load and the energy storage devices and the generator output of the hydro-power generator, and a second switch electrically coupled between at least two of the energy storage devices, the first switch switchable to electrically connect at least one of the generator output and the energy storage devices to the load, and the second switch switchable to transition an electrical configuration of the at least two of the energy storage devices between a parallel configuration and a series configuration, wherein the at least two energy storage devices are switchable with the second switch to be in parallel or in series with respect to the hydro-power generator in accordance with a threshold magnitude of charge voltage being supplied to the energy storage devices by the hydro-power generator.