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Bringing Untapped Hydropower to Reality
Whitepaper | 2018
Voith Mini Hydro Solutions
1 Reducing Interfaces by Turnkey Solutions
2 Customized Solutions for Standard Applications
3 Water-to-Wire and Beyond: Voith as Your Partner
The Hidden Potential of Mini Hydro
There are many new and lasting trends
in the energy market, including renew-
able projects with smaller production
sites that are closer to the consumer.
Energy conversion by utilizing remaining
potential and offsetting part of the local
consumption and electrification of rural
areas by renewable projects go hand
in hand with the environment or larger
wind, solar or hydropower projects with
a local footprint and close participation
of the communities. The potential is
still great, even for hydropower which
Global share of renewable energy
Bioenergy 5 % Geothermal power 1 %
Solar power
11 %
Wind
power
22 %
Small Large
hydropower hydropower
7 % 54 %
Source: World Small Hydropower Development Report 2016, World Bank, ICSHP
* SHP = Small Hydropower
generally provides a huge advantage
over other renewables such as: long
lifetime of equipment, favorable base-
load characteristics and better predict-
ability. These advantages give additional
value to grid operators who struggle
with the integration of smaller, fluctuat-
ing renewables. The graphs below show
hydropower’s share of more than 60 %
within the renewable energy mix. Small
and Mini Hydro contribute 7 % to that
mix. A remarkable number which still
has potential to grow considering that
Global installed SHP* capacity
Remaining
64 %
only 36 % has yet to be developed.
But the success and future scalability,
especially of Mini Hydro, is not definite.
Smaller hydropower sites often face the
challenges of project lead times and
initial investment costs due to required
water construction works. So the ques-
tion is: how do we tap into the potential
which is clearly there? This paper shall
give a first answer – the Voith Mini
Hydro approach.
Voith Hydro at a glance
Since nearly 150 years Voith Hydro is a
Installed global leader in Small Hydro providing
36 % water-to-wire solutions from a few
hundred Kilowatts up to 30 MW.
• 4 500 employees
• 25 locations
• 4 competence centers for
Small Hydro in Austria, Spain,
India and Japan
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Whitepaper | 2018

Voith Mini Hydro – A Comprehensive Product Line

The first principle is simple:

reducing interfaces in the
project.

The complexity of larger hydropower

projects is reduced by standardization
of the entire concept. The product is
not just the turbine or the generator –
the key is the right plant solution with
the integrated and standardized com-
ponents as part of it. The hydropower
business is much more complex as one
might think. Solar and wind power
plants have relatively constant boundar-
ies, the integration of a hydropower
plant into the project site has often
much more parameters to deal with.
Therefore the first principle is to reduce
the interfaces within the plant itself
and have a fully integrated solution as a
whole.
The Voith Mini Hydro product line is
designed and driven by this principle.
The StreamDiver is an outstanding
example of it. The picture above shows
the Mini Hydro site “Alte Bleiche” in
Heidenheim, Germany. The turbine-
The Mini Hydro site “Alte Bleiche” in Heidenheim, Germany
generator unit is fully submerged into
the existing water channel with an inte-
grated trash rack and gate system. This
provides fish friendliness, maintains the
waterway’s flood capacity and com-
bines it with a high performance power
plant which is 100 % oil-free.
Voith and its project partners provided
planning, design, manufacturing and
supply of all plant components and su-
pervised the construction. An outstand-
ing example of the first key principle:
reducing interfaces in both, the design
and the execution.
Mini Hydro key facts
Complete water-to-wire solutions
designed and manufactured by Voith
Small Hydro Competence Center
Kössler in Austria.
• Turbine-generator units from 50 to
1 200 kW
• Head range from 2 to 200 m
• Flow range from 0.3 to 15 m³/s
• Compact, integrated auxiliary systems
• Standard low voltage protection &
control system

Mini Hydro application range

1 000 Small Hydro

Mini Hydro
5 MW 10 MW 15 MW 30 MW
StreamDiver
2 MW Tubular
100
1 MW eQ Solutions
Discharge [m3/s]

500 kW
300 kW
10
100 kW
eQ Kaplan
50 kW
eQ Francis
1
eQ Pelton

0.1
1 10 100 1 000
Head [m]

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Whitepaper | 2018

Mini Hydro Products

The second principle is finding the link between the application and the solution.
In many aspects Mini Hydro requires smart and innovative concepts to find the best
solution for a specific site and save time and cost on all aspects of the project.

eQ Solutions
The eQ Solutions comprises simplified, highly standardized turbine-generator units and its auxiliary systems. The system is
pre-assembled which allows fast and easy erection at site. With integrated controls and actuators, it provides a compact and
reliable water-to-wire system.

Kaplan Francis Pelton

2 to 10 m Up to 150 m Up to 200 m

2 to 20 m3/s 0.5 to 3 m3/s Up to 1 m3/s

Up to 1 200 kW
Up to 1 000 kW Up to 1 200 kW

Design features Design features Design features

• Vertical double-regulated Kaplan • Vertical or horizontal Francis unit • Vertical or horizontal Pelton

• High efficient hydraulic design • Compact and pre-assembled design with 1- to 6-nozzles
• Short erection time due to pre- • Medium head up to 125 m • Inner-regulated nozzles with

assembled parts • Runner diameter from 400 to hydraulic actuator

• Compact design to optimize 790 mm • Compact set with integrated

civil structure • Optimized inlet and draft-tube generator

• Directly coupled generator or parts • Encased in concrete or free-

speed increaser option • High-quality milled runner in-house standing

• Maintenance-friendly due to in Austria • Jet deflector as option

modular design • Automation (see page 5) • Automation (see page 5)

• Runner diameter from 0.8 to 2 m

• Automation (see page 5)

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Whitepaper | 2018

StreamDiver Tubular Turbine

The StreamDiver provides an industry-wide unique design The Voith Tubular Turbine is designed to provide clean power
which allows a simplification of the entire power house design. from industrial water applications (e.g. sewage or drinking
Lubrication and cooling water systems are not required, water treatment plants). Its focus is flexible integration, easy
actuation systems for control and start-up are reduced to access and the use of standardized, off-the-shelf componets.
a minimum. A flexible and modular integration into the civil
infrastructure, ease of installation and maintenance allow cost
savings throughout the project phase.

Up to 8 m Up to 20 m

Up to 14 m3/s Up to 4 m3/s

Up to 850 kW Up to 250 kW

Design features Design features

• High-efficient propeller turbine • Fixed runner or runner regulation for variable flow

• Direct-driven permanent magnet generator • Cost-efficient off-the-shelf generator

• River-water lubricated bearing design • Higher head through serial arrangement

• Completely oil- and grease-free operation • Higher flow through parallel arrangement

• Maintenance-friendly design for easy and fast • Tubular design with high setting and easy access

service in the workshop • Special application in drinking or sewage water

• Modular design for sites with high flow treatment plants

(parallel generation of multiple units) • Automation (see page 5)

• Runner regulation or variable speed as option

for flow regulation

• Flexible integration and solution for low head

run-of-river or energy recovery projects

• Automation (see page 5)

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Whitepaper | 2018

Automation system Intelligent Hydropower – Made by Voith

150 years of experience combined with

in-depth digital expertise − Voith brings
intelligence into the digital hydropower
plant.

Step 1: Open up data − securely in the cloud

Step 2: Visualize processes − detect variances

Step 3: Analyze intelligently and extend service life

1,000 h remaining
Step 4: Run simulations and maintain proactively

Step 5: Derive actions − maximize revenue

The Mini Hydro automation system yields as a standardized Hydropower is already highly automated; now Voith is making
low-voltage platform for all Mini Hydro products. The design it intelligent. We know the data that is important for hydro-
concept minimizes complexity by focusing on mandatory power plant operators to achieve greater efficiency, flexibility
systems only. Additional functionality and systems can be and security – today and in the future.
added as options to account for local grid codes or customer
preferences. Together with our customers we are making available a pool
of technical and system-related data for the power plant and
its infrastructure securely in the cloud, visualize and analyze it,
• Low voltage circuit breaker assembly
and develop self-learning models for well-substantiated and
• Protection and synchronization
forward-looking decisions. Thanks to the intelligent hydro-
• Central plant control (common control functions)
power plant, we are making the plants of our customers fit for
• Automatic voltage regulator (AVR)
the requirements of tomorrow.
• Alarm and remote monitoring system
• House supply for support systems (motors and actuators)
• Uninterruptible power supply (UPS)
• Fully assembled stand-alone container system (option)
• Island operation system (option)

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Whitepaper | 2018

Mini Hydro Applications

Run-of-river Low head hydropower Sewage Water Treatment
Energy recovery Plant
Single unit installation, Type S, fixed blades

The most common application is the
use of water resources in rivers with
natural or man-made head and to turbi-
nate a portion of this water. Depending
on the head and flow range Kaplan,
Francis, Pelton or Crossflow technolo-
gies are applicable.
An important factor is the compact and
flexible integration, to account for cost
reductions on the civil and erection side.
For many cases Voith eQ Solutions will
be the most suitable choice.
As a special type of run-of-river, low
head hydropower has a tremendous
potential on waterways around the
world. More than 85 % of the existing
dams are not electrified yet and the
majority of them have low heads.
It is a question of an economic and
ecological solution which makes these
sites bankable. Voith’s answer to it is
the StreamDiver.
Using non-utilized potential in existing
power plants or industrial applications
such as drinking or sewage water treat-
ment plants has become more and
more popular. It benefits from existing
infrastructure or missing interfaces with
natural flows which results in less
requirements and plant components
(e.g. fish protection).
If it is for tubular or open-channel flows,
the Tubular Turbine, StreamDiver or
eQ Solutions (Francis or Pelton for high-
er heads) cover a wide range of possi-
ble applications.

Key requirements Key requirements Key requirements

• Cost-efficient concepts & products • Low impact to civil structure • Flexible integration into existing

• Compact, pre-assembled parts to • Environmental-friendly solution infrastructure (network, civil)

shorten erection time • Keep waterway management • Compliant with safety or usage

• High performance and flexible capabilities requirements (e.g. drinking water

hydraulics treatment)
• Cost-efficient solution

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Whitepaper | 2018

Mini Hydro Reference Examples

Brukfors, Sweden Babino Polje, Montenegro

Run-of-river – modernization of existing power house Run-of-river – high head application

(Usage of residual flow)

Mini Hydro technology: StreamDiver Mini Hydro technology: Pelton eQ Solution

Plant output: 250 kW Plant output: 2 258 kW
Head: 4.7 m Head: 186 m and 174 m
Flow: 6 m³/s Flow: 1 m³/s and 0.4 m³/s
Units: 1 Units: 2

Commissioning: March 2015 Commissioning: May 2017

Voith scope and features Voith scope and features

• Water-to-wire supply • Supply of complete set of mechanical equipment
• Fixed-speed, non-regulated StreamDiver • Turbine-generator units with auxiliaries

• Cold climate operation (submerged power house) • 3 and 6-nozzle vertical Pelton

• Fish-friendly power house concept • Pelton turbine without jet deflector

• Turbine inlet valve and hydraulic power unit

• Distribution pipe and drainage pipe

Customer benefits Customer benefits

• Oil-free, environment friendly solution in sensitive region • Cost-efficient design
• Fast delivery in 8 months • Short delivery times

• Full integration into existing automation infrastructure • Significant reduction of civil foundation cost by

• Low maintenance solution housing design

• High quality and performance

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Whitepaper | 2018

Egasaki, Japan

The Tokyo Electric

Generation Co., Ltd.

Energy recovery – drinking water treatment plant

Mini Hydro technology: Tubular Turbine project

Plant output: 80 kW
Head: 14 m
Flow: 0.7 m³/s
Units: 2 (serial arrangement)

Commissioning: 2003

Voith scope and features

• Complete electromechanical equipment

• Tubular Turbine-generator units

• Connection integration in existing system

• Propeller units (non-regulated) in serial arrangement

• Low voltage protection and control equipment

Customer benefits
• Offset own load by 80 kW
• Integrated pipe system, easy to access

• Standardized, off-the-shelf components

• Short delivery and project execution time

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 Whitepaper | 2018

Water-to-Wire and Beyond: Voith as your Partner

The second driving principle was the link between the application and the solution.
The third factor now refers to the first one – reducing the interfaces. Projects on the
lower end of the output scale hardly pencil off if the setup is not right from the start.
Early involvement, transparent planning and a partner approach is key to bring more
projects to realization.

Project Project Project

Construction Operation
identification feasibility design

Solution development Planning support Training

Finding the best solution for a € € During the
€ design phase
€ of You are interested
€ €
site is not straight forward. No your project the interfaces in further training on
€ € €
matter if you are a project owner to the equipment supplier plant operation or
or a project engineer. Voith and are crucial. Voith’s project other special topics
its partners will support you by design office will manage around hydropower.
developing a comprehensive or assist you with these Ask us!
solution which considers your interfaces. €
€ €
site-specific requirements.

€ € €
€

Early project Financing support W2W OEM Service

Pre-feasibility check You have a profitable project, We deliver what we’ve We know our products
You identified a site and want but you are interested in further promised. Voith can provide and how to service them.
to know whether this can be a equity? Voith can support you a comprehensive package We can provide service
profitable opportunity? We can finding equity and other financ- from the hydropower resource packages which suits
assist you or bring you in touch ing options. up the grid connection point. your requirements and
with the persons who do! save operational costs,
downtime and risks.

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Whitepaper | 2018
The importance of Hydropower
Renewable energy is undoubtedly the
most sustainable answer to the rise in
energy demand. Hydropower plays a
key role in sustainable and environmen-
tally friendly power generation and is the
leading renewable source of electricity
generation globally. Worldwide it makes
an indispensable contribution to a stable
power supply which supports economic
and social development in both indus-
trialized countries and in high-growth
regions. Since the early days of hydro-
power Voith has been and continues to
be a leading supplier and innovator of
hydropower technology.
Voith Hydro Holding GmbH & Co. KG
Alexanderstr. 11
89522 Heidenheim, Germany
About the company
For 150 years, Voith technologies have
been inspiring its customers, business
partners and employees all over the
world. Founded in 1867, Voith today
has around 19  000 employees and
earns 4.3 billion euros in sales. It has
locations in more than 60 countries and
is one of the largest family-owned
companies in Europe. As a technology
leader, Voith sets standards in the
energy, oil & gas, paper, raw materials
and transport & automotive markets.
VH 3416, en, vvk, 2018-01. Dimensions and illustrations without obligation. Subject to modifications.
Editor
Philipp Daus
Global Product Manager
Product Line Mini Hydro
Voith Hydro GmbH
Alexanderstr. 11
89522 Heidenheim, Germany
Philipp.Daus@Voith.com
Tel. +49 7321 37-9040
Stay tuned and keep track of exciting
news on Mini Hydro @ Voith in 2018:
Visit our Website:
www.voith.com/minihydro
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