THE INNOVATORS
Nustreem’s High-Tech, Modular Small Hydro Installations
Three Nustreem turbines can be packaged in a shipping container.
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ustreem builds proven modular small hydro installations that are suitable for irrigation districts or other water conveyance operators. With thousands of hours of run time on six preproduction units, Nustreem has a proven design to meet the demands for modular and intelligent turbines. By applying the concept of power feedback to hydropower design, Nustreem has created a highly efficient system. Moreover, it can fit up to three units in a shipping container, so an entire hydropower site can be built with very little civil construction. In this interview, Nustreem General Manager Juliann Blanford tells Irrigation Leader about what makes Nustreem’s technology novel and what the company can offer to irrigation districts.
Juliann Blanford: I have a finance background and am a certified public accountant. I started my career as an auditor at Ernst and Young. More recently, I was a
26 | IRRIGATION LEADER | June 2020
Irrigation Leader: How is Nustreem’s technology different from other hydropower installations that readers may be familiar with? Juliann Blanford: Our hardware is modern, and we have full electronic controls capability, which provides a foundation for a variety of improvements. Our onsite performance is more efficient, and our equipment is simpler to maintain. We also have shorter lead times and faster installation times. irrigationleadermagazine.com
PHOTOS COURTESY OF NUSTREEM.
Irrigation Leader: Please tell us about your background and how you came to be in your current position.
financial controller at Froude Dynamometers. When I heard that Froude’s corporate office was going to add Nustreem to our group of companies, I started learning about small hydro. I liked that small hydro technology is a simple, sensible solution to our renewable energy pursuits. I was excited by the opportunity to bring to market a proven and environmentally friendly energy technology. I applied to be Nustreem’s general manager and started in January 2018. I love it.
