Driving turbine
technology forward
Rainpower is a leading European hydropower group, specialising in the manufacture of hydro-turbines and power-plant modernisation services. It is also Scandinavia’s leading supplier of control systems. Philip Yorke looks at a company that continues to drive hydro-turbine technology forward in the interests of cleaner, safer and more efficient renewable energy.
R
ainpower was founded in Lodalen, Norway in 1853 and began by manufacturing castings for the building industry. However, a major milestone was reached in 1890 when the company produced its first hydropower turbine. This was a ‘Pelton’ design and had a hydraulic head of 11 metres capable of delivering 230 horsepower. However, Rainpower itself is a young company that was founded in 2007 when General Electric sold its Norwegian hydropower operations to the industrial Group, NLI. Today Rainpower supplies all kinds of equipment for hydropower plants, including generators, valves and turbine governors. Its services span the 168 Industry Europe
entire value chain from the development of technical solutions to the commissioning of power plants. The company’s business activities focus on product development, engineering services and the production of turbines and electromechanical solutions for the supply of renewable energy. Today Rainpower is part of the Norwegian ARD Group, which was formerly known as NLI and is a privately owned investment company with interests in oil, gas, hydropower, renewable energy, onshore facilities, property, health foods and consultancy services. The group currently employs more than 2000 people in 12 countries and in 2016 recorded sales of €175 million.
