Well, here is an area that at least deals with the water issue that many face: Head.
Micro hydro turns out to be a lot of the same discussion as water powered pumps.
The discussion still comes down to this water to electricity to pump water thing and storage. Being blessed with an existing five acre pond will surely help in design of your on-site water distribution plan, but...
I am really surprised at the dearth of info on pumps on Permies. Aside from getting water with your property, how to move it seems to be the next big thing that we deal with in design. Not everyone will be so fortunate as to have a site on a slope from top to bottom with enough 'head' to make a RAM pump work. So what's left? Grid driven electric? Fuel driven electric?
Solar driven electric? Hand power? Gravity?
What I have discovered is that a RAM pump is pretty cool, but takes at least 18 inches of head pressure to run, And then, very slowly. This means that a storage tank or basin will be required in addition to 'head' Or you will need to use a water wheel of some sort. In Boise there is a lifting wheel design on display that was used years ago before electricity. Nothing else?
Windmills, manual or electric? This means storage too.
Screws, Siphon, Sprials...the Rife River Pump (no successful copies by DIY yet. No testimony by Permies on these either! Still storage issue.
I guess this is one of those places where electricity driven pumps is the most AT?
Thoughts?