A Dynamic Sector
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he European industry has maintained a leading position in the field of hydropower manufacturing since the technology started to develop 150 years ago. Very little non-European equipment has been installed in European hydropower plants. One important reason for European dominance has been the strong home market. By developing technology and production methods in a fast-growing home market, European manufacturers have, with few significant exceptions, kept a leading edge compared to manufacturers from other parts of the world.
Supported by
The EU has a multi-disciplinary and highly skilled small hydro industry, which offers the full range of products and services required to develop small hydro projects from initial feasibility and design through to manufacturing, financing and operation. The exploitation of the small hydro power plants has allowed to establish in Europe a strong net of local SMEs that work directly or indirectly with the small hydropower sector. This sector promotes local industrial activities besides increasing the export capabilities since the non-EU market still offers good prospects for EU manufacturers.
SMALL HYDROPOWER
HYDROPOWER THE SECTOR
SHP: A mature but high-technology industry
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pproximately 70% of the Earth’s surface is covered with water, a resource that has been exploited for many centuries. Hydropower is certainly the largest and most mature application of renewable technologies. 22% of the world’s electricity production comes from hydropower installations, many of which are small hydropower plants of less than 10 MW. In Europe there are about 11.6 GW installed of Small hydro. But small hydro is not only a reduced version of a large hydro plant. Specific equipment is necessary to meet fundamental requirements with due regard to simplicity, high-energy output, maximum reliability and easy maintenance by non- specialists. Besides the works of civil engineering, the industry of the small hydropower associates mechanical and electrical high technologies combined with highly developed monitoring and surveillance processes. The overall aim is to gain energy efficiency and reduce the environmental impact. In order to achieve this objective, the industry has developed innovative techniques to minimize potential environmental impacts. Indeed, engineers working in the SHP field keep on developing techniques specific to small hydropower, in order to face up to the following challenges:
Hydro-mechanical engineering T he main objective of hydro-mechanical engineers is to develop turbines that use water resource optimally, by designing turbines that are specific to the sites. Therefore the R&D on SHP has focused on very-low-head and low-head turbines. Notably, pico and micro hydro turbines are developed to meet the demand for rural electrification and small isolated networks. Optimal use of the water resources implies an improvement in the hydraulic design that aims not only at higher efficiency, but also to lower costs, high reliability and an optimal environmental integration (fish-friendly turbines).
Electrical engineering vailable solutions for SHP electrical engineering range from generators, A grid connection over electric drives to the control and management of the whole power plant. State of the art industrial automation components and excellent communication features ensure that an operator can identify the status of the plant at any time and anywhere. Using computers, PDAs, cell phones or just a simple telephone allows to respond remotely on problems, where applicable. New concepts such as scheduled production, prediction of the energy output and condition monitoring are currently under development also for SHP in order to improve the grid integration, to increase reliability and to reduce the operation & maintenance costs.
Environmental engineering
better environmental integration decrease of investment and operation cost maximizing the electricity production
Civil engineering t present, most efforts concerning civil engineering aim at standardA izing design and technology, so as to reach an optimal integration of an SHP plant with the local environment while minimizing costs. Such objectives are reached by setting guidelines based on the latest design technology, new materials and best practice examples.
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T he significant increase in knowledge concerning the biological mechanism in rivers has consequently initiated the development of “environmental engineering”, focusing on minimizing and mitigation of negative environmental impact. Well-known examples are fish-bypass systems, environmental flow or river restructuring. The close cooperation with ecologists has led to excellent compromises between environmental targets and economic and technical restrictions. Such engineering is in continuous evolution. For example, nowadays, it has been found that contrary to a constant amount of environmental flow, the variability according to natural discharge conditions brings about ecological benefits at lower costs. Moreover, regarding fish-bypass systems, new technically optimised installations such as the vertical slot pass or the Denil-pass guarantee the highest fish acceptance while reducing the amount of bypass operation flow.
An instrument for regional and local development
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mall and medium sized enterprises constitute the majority of goods and services suppliers in the field of the European small hydro industry. Small and Medium renewable energy enterprises create employment at much higher rates than many other energy technologies. There are economic opportunities for new industries and new industrial and craft jobs through production, installation and maintenance of renewable energy systems. The construction and maintenance of a SHP plant needs a multidisciplinary team of enterprises encompassing civil engineers, and electricity specialists, turbine manufacturers; suppliers etc. SHP plants create local jobs for the monitoring of the running phase of the plant. By means of the royalties and taxes to which they are subject, SHP contributes to the economic development of small disperse populations, ensuring autonomous and reliable energy for the long term (30 to 40 years). SHP is suitable for co-operative or communal ownership, and can be combined with irrigation systems and potable water channels. As well as being a tool for regional development, SHP development should be integrated in local plans through spatial planning approaches.
A signiďŹ cant industrial potential
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Countries of particular interest for SHP: Region
Countries for consideration
Latin America
Brazil, Peru, Argentina, Caribbean Ecuador, Colombia, Cuba
Africa
Uganda, Cameroon, Congo, Ethipia, Madagascar, Angola
Central and Eastern Europe
Slovakia, Czech Republic, Ukraine Most Independent former USSR states
Asia (excluding India and China)
Nepal, Thailand, Sri Lanka Philippines, Indonesia India, China, Russia
Competence and competitiveness of the European Union industry
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here are about fifty hydraulic turbine manufacturers in Europe. Four multinational companies out of this total, which are Alstom Power Hydro, VA Tech/Andritz, Voith Siemens and GE Energy, dominate the large-scale turbine market and are present on the small hydraulic market segment as well. Alongside these big companies, numerous small and medium sized firms are active on the small turbine segment that represents the bulk of the European market, with average installation size in the region of 700 kW in the old member countries and 300 kW in the new member countries. These industrialists are mainly located in the important small hydraulic power countries: Italy, France, Germany, Austria and Sweden, but are very well represented in the Czech Republic, Poland and Slovenia as well. The activity of all these companies is largely geared towards export. European companies have pioneered much of the technical development, and in recent years have dominated international contracts for small hydropower equipment and installations.
ESHA estimates turnover of between â‚Ź150 and â‚Ź180 million, with the sector employing nearly 20 000 people.
SMALL HYDROPOWER
mall hydropower has, as yet, a huge untapped potential, which will allow EU SHP industry to increase its activities by developing new and refurbishing old small hydro capacity. Indeed, the best home market for EU manufacturers is the refurbishing of existing plants while outside Europe there are new opportunities for export and technology transfer that offer good prospects for EU manufacturers; This know-how has made it possible for Europe to export its products to countries with high potential, such as in Asia and Central America. The economic growth and an increase in energy needs will stimulate hydropower progression. Asia (especially China and India) is set to become a hydro leader with 83 000 MW of further potential.
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Illustration sources: Agener, Universidad de Jaen, Kö, IED, BOKU, MHyLab, VATECH, Elmotech, Ingegneri Maggia SA, Commune de Savièse (CH), ISET, Studio Frosio, SERO, EPFL-LCH, Walcher, Sasso s.r.l. Design : ACG Brussels The sole responsibility for the content of this publication lies with the authors. It does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the European Communities. The European Commission is not responsible for any use that may be made of the information contained therein.
A well-interconnected sector The International conference Hidroenergia is organized every 2 years and brings together specialists and stakeholders in the field of Small Hydropower from all over Europe. This conference is organised by ESHA in collaboration with the respective national association. It provides excellent opportunities for main stakeholders across Europe to get to know to each other, exchange information, define common strategies, promote new actions and initiatives. This conference covers the main technological, administrative, environmental and political issues of the Small hydropower sector. At the European level ESHA represents the interests of the Small hydropower sector regrouping national associations of SHP producers, which themselves regroup operators, industry, project developers, consultants, utilities, research institutions. ESHA is a well-established organization that has set up a SHP network throughout Europe with continuous communication to politicians and decision-makers. ESHA is a founding member of EREC - the European Renewable Energy Council - which is the umbrella organisation of the leading European renewable energy industry, trade and research associations active in the sectors of photovoltaic, wind energy, small hydropower, biomass, geothermal energy and solar thermal. ESHA has it offices at the Renewable Energy House- Europe’s Headquarters for Renewable Energy in Brussels.
EUROPEAN SMALL HYDROPOWER ASSOCIATION Renewable Energy House 63-67 Rue d’Arlon - B-1040 Brussels • Belgium T: +32 2 546 1945 • F: +32 2 546 1947 E: info@esha.be • I: www.esha.be ESHA is founding member of EREC, the European Renewable Energy Council