Technology Status - NET Nowak Energie & Technologie AG

SMALL HYDROPOWER
A Brief History of Small Hydropower
Small hydropower (SHP) has been exploited for centuries. First, the energy in
falling water was exploited in mechanical form, e.g. watermills for milling
grain, the simple Norse wheel, and later more sophisticated waterwheels.
The invention of the water turbine in France in 1827 led to the development
of modern hydropower. In the 1880s, hydropower turbines were first used to
generate electricity for large scale use (as opposed to laboratory
experiments). In Europe, turbines replaced the waterwheel almost
completely by the end of the 19 th century. Small turbines were increasingly
used throughout Europe and North America, and during this period, today’s
basic turbine technology evolved. With expansion and increasing access to
transmission networks, power generation was concentrated in increasingly
larger units benefiting from economies of scale. This resulted in a trend away
from small hydropower systems to large hydropower installations between
the 1930s and the 1970s.
The oil crisis in 1973 re-kindled interest in the development of small
hydropower resources. This led to a revival of the industry, with new turbine
manufacturers appearing in the marketplace. Interest in developing
hydropower systems again declined through the 1980s and early 1990s due
to the low level of fuel prices and the subsequent “dash for gas”. More
recently, liberalisation of the electricity industry has contributed in some
areas to the development of hydropower generating capacity by
independent power producers (IPPs).
Technology Status
● Basic Features
There is no international consensus on the definition of SHP. The upper limit
varies from 2.5 MW to 30 MW, but a ceiling value of 10 MW is becoming more
generally accepted. Common definitions for small hydropower electric
facilities are:
● small hydropower: Capacity of less than 10 MW;
● mini hydropower: Capacity between 100 kW and 1 MW;
● micro hydropower: Capacity below 100 kW.
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