voith.

com

Small Hydro solutions by local

experts with global expertise
We are pioneers of
sustainable energy
for generations
Small hydropower plants are an impor- also be boosted with hydropower.
tant component of the energy mix Around 64 % of the worldwide hydro-
worldwide. They have the potential to power resources remain unused – the
ensure a stable local power supply. The majority of which would be ideal for
development of renewable energies can small hydropower solutions.

64 %
Global 217.10 GW
78.31 GW
36 %
64 %

North America 7.66 GW

4.80 GW
63 %
27 %
of the worldwide small
hydro­power resources South America 36.50 GW
3.07 GW
remain unused 8%
92 %

Potential capacity Europe 38.94 GW

Installed capacity 18.69 GW
48 %
Developed SHP potential 52 %
Remained unused potential
Africa 12.20 GW
0.58 GW
5%
95 %

Asia 120.59 GW
50.73 GW
42 %
58 %

Oceania 1.21 GW
0.45 GW
37 %
63 %

Source: World Small Hydropower Development Report. UNIDO, 2016

Note: Only plants < 10 MW are considered

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From water wheels to turbines
150 years in hydropower
Voith began building water turbines in
1870 with a 100 HP Henschel-Jonval “Walther Voith –
turbine. The first Voith Francis turbine
was delivered in 1873. In 1903, Voith the discoverer of
supported Viktor Kaplan in the deve­ my invention”
loping and testing of turbines in the
Brunnenmühle. Regarding the develop- Viktor Kaplan, Turbine pioneer
ment of the Kaplan turbine, Viktor Kaplan
once called Walther Voith the “discoverer
of my invention”.

Global footprint Small Hydro Center of Competences Workshops and local offices

4
competence
centers are
focused on
Small Hydro

3
 Water-to-Wire
solutions
By perfectly aligning electric, hydraulic and control components, and
developing them in an integrated manner, we are able to optimize the
energy production and life cycle of your plant. For us, efficient power
supply means reconciling economic efficiency with environmental
friendliness: We consciously and sparingly use natural resources for
high capacity utilization to increase earnings.

We provide complete solutions

and are close to our customers

1 2
1000 30 40
Turbines 5 MW 10 MW 15 MW 30 MW
StreamDiver
PipeRunner
eQ Francis
eQ Pelton
Generators 35
25

100
Our 2 MWportfolio of turbines offers an economical solution
eQ Kaplan Thanks to our long-standing
30
experience in the develop-
for all requirements. For smaller hydropower plants,
1 MW
20 ment and production of generators, we are able to per-
500 kW 25
Discharge [m3/s]

Voith
300 kW delivers attractively priced systems in a standard- fectly integrate them in your power plant – and optimize
Output [MVA]

10
ized
100 kW
design – and individually adjusts them to accom- 15
the energy yield accordingly.
20
The electric, mechanical
modate
50 kW their environment. 10
and thermal stresses 15 are extraordinarily high in the field
• Pelton turbines for heads up to 1 000 meter of hydropower compared to other industries. This is why
1 10
• Francis turbines for heads up to 750 meter 5 we have developed a robust hydropower generator line
5
• Kaplan turbines for heads up to 50 meter coping these special requirements and the longer ex-
0.1 0 0
• HyComplete products for heads pected
1 10 100 1000 0 4 8 12 lifetimes
16 20 24 in 28
the hydropower industry.
0 4 8 12 16 20 24 28 32 36 40

from 2 up to 350 meter Head [m] Poles Poles

Range of turbine application Range of generator application

1 000
1000 20 MW 30 MW
30 40
10 MW
StreamDiver
Kaplan eQ Francis
Small Hydro XL
5 MW
5 MW 10 MW 15 MW 30 MW Francis
PipeRunnerMini Hydro
eQ Pelton 35
Pelton 25
2 MW eQ Kaplan
2 MW
100
100 30
1 MW
1 MW
20
500 kW
500 kW 25
Discharge [m3/s]

Output [MVA]

300 kW
Discharge [m3/s]

200 kW
10
10 100 kW
15 20
100 kW
50 kW
50 kW 15
10
1
1 10

5
5
0.1
0.1 0 0
1 1 10
10 100
100 1000
1 000 0 4 8 12 16 20 24 28 0 4 8 12 16 20 24 28 32 36 40
Head
Head[m]
[m] Poles Poles

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3 BoP-E – Electrical systems
From design to integration to set-up and adjustment, Voith
is also your small hydropower partner for electrical power
plant equipment. Amongst other things, our systems
include HV switchyard AIS / GIS, power transformers, gen-
erator circuit breaker, earthing and lightning protection.

4 BoP-M – Mechanical systems

Our mechanical systems for the power plant equipment
are also planned in an integrated manner within the
Hy2Grid product line for SH plants. This includes cooling
water, dewatering and drainage systems, compressed air
supply, crane equipment, fire protection as well as heat-
ing, ventilation and air conditioning.

5 Automation
Hy2Grid offers plant operators a perfectly configured
plug-and-play system for control, monitoring and auto-
mation of the plant. Your plant is IIoT-ready with op-
tional cloud connection, plant operational data is trans-
ferred into optimized operation and maintenance. You 4
can benefit from the large hydro world – even for small-
scale hydropower plants. Automation is an integral part
of the entire power plant.

6 Shut-off valves
Voith started designing shut-off valves as mechanical-
7 Eco-friendly products
We set new standards in terms of nature conservation:
hydraulic control equipment for water turbines over a our small hydro solutions are based on technological in-
century ago. This way, even small hydropower plants can novations with the objective of keeping the environment
cope with extreme adjusting forces and short closing healthy and clean. Oil-free turbines and fish-friendly rotor
times. blade concepts help to adapt the small hydropower
plants to their natural local environment.

5
 7

5 4

2 6

8 Financing support
Voith can also support owners who have a profitable
9 HyService
With our proactive services and a customized service
project but are interested in further optimization. We agreements, your hydropower plant will run at maxi-
have the resources to support our customers in finding mum profitability. Our experts provide support all over
equity and other financing options. the world and around the clock, so you can get the
best from your hydropower plant: smooth interaction of
all components, maximum service life, and optimum
productivity.

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Hydropower plants are systems that last for generations.
That’s why modernisation is one of our key business areas.
Equipped with state-of-the-art technology, performance
and energy yield can be significantly increased. Which also
benefits the environment.

Modernization: an advantage for

operators and the environment

Modernizing an existing plant can be

challenging. Our objective is to develop “The advantages for By the modernization of the
and implement the best solution for you. both people and the hydropower plant Eglisau
The same level of commitment is shown
environment” (Switzerland) the annual
on individual component upgrades or
performance could be
complete plant rehabilitations. + Eco-friendly: renewable energy
production with a high degree of increased by almost one
Rehabilitation is complex since the change efficiency third from 254 GWh to

314.5
of a single component can affect the + Economical: low investment costs,
operation of the whole plant. Each com- shorter gestation periods
ponent is inter-related in a hydropower + Rapidly implemented: simple
plant. Voith is your reliable and experi- construction and start of operation

GWh
enced partner for all modernization proj- + Reliable: long performance time,
ects. Our broad range of references and low maintenance requirements
our successful long-term partnerships + Competent: experienced contact
with our customers are a proof of our persons, highest quality
excellence in rehabilitation.

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Success stories

Tulila, Tanzania “Our constructing

engineers have enabled
isolated operation by
using enormous mecha­
ni­cal centrifugal masses,
a complex control system
and an electronic load
2x2.6mw controller.”
Saxo-type Karl Henninger,
turbines Project Manager Voith Hydro

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The power to change lives
Tulila, Tanzania
A stable power supply is not a matter of course in the
Ruvuma region in south-western Tanzania. The small
hydro­electric plant Tulila on the Ruvuma River is powered
by two Kaplan turbines by Voith and is very efficient. It has
significantly improved the lives of the people in the area.

This success story would have been un- tricity externally to feed into the local
thinkable without the Benedictine Sis- grid, and the financing was secured
ters of St. Agnes. The 370 nuns of the with loans and a multi-million invest-
Chipole Convent have dedicated their ment by Albert Koch himself. A suitable
lives to the people in the region. They location was also soon identified: the
give orphans a home, enhance the edu- Ruvuma River flows into the region of
cation of children and young people, Tulila just a few hours away from the
and ensure basic health care for the convent.
population in rural areas.
From the installation to the
A small hydroelectric plant as a commissioning “Before the plant
driving force for change
Hydropower expert and investor Albert
Two Kaplan turbines by Voith with a to-
tal output of 5 MW have been installed
was built, the power
Koch was extremely impressed by the and meanwhile produce around 36 GWh was unreliable. Life
selflessness of the nuns and their un-
equivocal will to change. Having trav-
– as soon as the demand for electricity
increases, the plant can be expanded
is so much easier for
elled to Tanzania to determine whether with a third turbine. The successful in- everyone now.”
the 400 kW hydroelectric plant, which stallation was a true team effort: the
had been used by the nuns to supply nuns supported the project team with Sister Yoela Luambano, Benedictine
electricity to the convent for around 15 administrative and logistical support, Sisters of St. Agnes, Chipole Convent,
years, could be expanded, he started food and accommodation. They even Tanzania
thinking on a larger scale together with supervised the blasting works – one of
the Benedictine nun Yoela Luambano: a the nuns is a trained explosives engineer.
more powerful hydroelectric plant would
not only improve the financial situation Particularly challenging: the isolated ope­ The nuns of St. Agnes are also pleased.
of the nuns, but also the lives of the ration of the power plant must be guar- Sister Yoela is confident that the sales
people in the region. anteed. Normally, the energy is fed into of the surplus energy will soon allow
the local grid that supplies the rural region them to pay themselves a wage for their
Sister Luambano devoted herself to with electricity. However, the grid often efforts. Together with the investor Albert
their mutual vision: it soon became clear breaks down here. When this happens, Koch, she wants to ensure that this
that water rights could be obtained from the turbines must be able to continue model sets an example – other con-
the government, a potential customer running at minimum performance. Project vents in Tanzania should also benefit
was found as the state-owned electric- Manager Karl Henninger is pleased with from the potential of small hydroelectric
ity supplier planned to purchase elec- the solution that they have developed. power plant solutions.

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 Øvre Forsland, Norway

2x5 mw
Vertical Francis turbines

The small hydropower plant is in

operation since August 2015 and
produces around 33 GWh annually.

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Beauty and power – energy generation
in harmony with nature
Øvre Forsland, Norway
Norway is known for its spectacular nature. The abundance
of rivers and streams also forms the basis for sustainable
energy generation from hydropower. The Øvre Forsland
hydropower station, which is impressive both architecturally
and technologically, aims to raise awareness of the harmony
between nature and technology.

It is considered Norway’s most beautiful be optimally used for energy generation.

hydropower station and its location The medium-sized Øvre Forsland hy-
alone is breath-taking: Øvre Forsland dropower plant produces around 33
lies on a riverbed in a clearing on the gigawatt hours (GWh) of energy annu-
edge of a spruce forest. The façade is ally. This corresponds to the annual en-
made of wood, reflecting the irregular ergy requirements of 1 700 households.
shapes of the spruce. The lighting of the
building was inspired by the mysterious HyService – for lasting optimum
northern lights of the Aurora Borealis. performance and service life
As beautiful as the small hydropower Helgeland Kraft also relies on Voith’s
station looks from the outside, as first- know-how when it comes to mainte- “The transparency
class is the technical equipment inside. nance and service and has concluded a
tailor-made service level agreement for
of the building’s
Water-to-Wire – efficient complete Øvre Forsland with services in the areas archi­tecture makes
solutions from one source
The power plant operator Helgeland
of maintenance and operation, spare
parts and repair. Comprehensive diag-
it possible to take a
Kraft relied on Voith’s Small Hydro nostic procedures and service tools as close look at these
products and services for the technical
design and implementation. In total,
well as flexible service teams that are
always ready for action guarantee per-
cutting-edge tech­no­
Voith supplied two Francis turbines, manent plant availability with minimum logies: the turbines
generators, automation as well as bal-
ance of plant electrical and mechanical.
downtimes.
and generators at the
A special feature of the “Water-to-Wire” heart of the power
solutions: All electrical, hydraulic and
control components are ideally matched
plant.”
to each other and perfectly adapted to Torkil Nersund, Production Manager,
local conditions. This means that even Helgeland Kraft
small quantities of water and heads can

11
 Semangka, Indonesia

2x 28.3 mw
Vertical Francis
turbines

The run-of-river power plant

is located in the Tanggamus
Regency on Sumatra.

Nogueira, Brazil

7x 715 kW
StreamDiver

Minimal constructional effort,

submerged units and oil-free
operation makes the StreamDiver
the ideal solution for environ-
mentally sensitive areas.

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Supporting the renewable development
Semangka, Indonesia
Indonesia has enormous renewable An ambitious renewable-
potential. With its innovative hydropower energy target “Indonesia is blessed
solutions, Voith Hydro is supporting
Indonesia’s renewable development.
Located in South Sumatra Region of
Indonesia, the power plant utilizes dis-
with lots of rivers
One of Voith’s Small Hydro projects is charge from the Semangka river. Voith that can provide
the run-of-river Semangka hydropower
plant. The plant has been in operation
delivered the complete Water-to-Wire
scope. The scope of supply included
renewable energy;
since the end of 2018 and partially two vertical Francis turbines, each with hydropower will play
replaces electricity in the Sumatra grid,
which was previously fed from fossil-
a rated output of 28.3 megawatt as well
as two generators and two generator
a very big role in the
fueled power plants. transformers. Semangka is thus making country.”
an important contribution to increasing
the share of renewable energies in the Eka Satira, CEO of energy supplier
power generation mix. The govern- PT Medco Power
ment‘s ambitious target is to increase
its share in the country‘s total energy
consumption to 23 percent by 2025.

Minimal intervention – maximum effect

Nogueira, Brazil
In order to keep the ecological impact of Premiere for Brazil
the new Nogueira hydropower plant as At the small hydropower station in the “We want to keep the
low as possible, the Brazilian hydropower
plant operator Usina Hidrelétrica Paran-
Chopim river – a tributary of the Iguazús
river – a natural waterfall already provides
ecological impact of
hos decided to use the compact the necessary gradient for the seven our power plants to
StreamDiver units from Voith and against
conventional vertical Kaplan turbines.
underwater turbines to produce more than
31 gigawatt hours of electricity annually.
a minimum, so the
Thanks to its standardized and modular Usina Hidrelétrica Paranhos hopes that StreamDiver is really
design, the new turbine type also con-
vinces as an economically attractive
the plant will be copied and that the
StreamDivers installed in Nogueira will
the best solution.”
solution. Compared to the costs of civil not remain the only ones in Brazil.
Jairo Bandeiro, CEO of Usina
works incurred for conventional power
Hidrelétrica Paranhos
plants, the StreamDiver costs are 40
percent lower.

13
We prepare
the future
The use of hydropower has a long tradi- A worldwide research network
Our global research and
tion. These days, it plays an important The Hydro Division bundles its research &
development portfolio:
role and is one of the most intensively development activities in the Voith Hydro
used renewable energy sources in the Engineering Center, which is located in • Hydraulic laboratory
world. Due to climate change, the share the “Brunnenmühle” in Heidenheim. In • Hydraulic development and
of climate- and CO2-neutral energy addition, Hydro operates three further application
sources in global electricity and energy engineering centers with different focus • Generator application
generation will continue to increase in areas in Brazil, Sweden and the USA. In • High voltage laboratory
the future. This development holds great this way, we are always able to develop • System engineering
potential for hydropower resources – our innovations in the areas of Large • OnPerformance.Lab
especially for small-scale hydropower. Hydro, Small Hydro and Service in close
After all, more than 64 percent of all cooperation with our customers and
hydropower resources in the world have partners.
not yet been used to generate electricity.
Joint research
Research and development – To facilitate seamless, multinational
shaping the future of hydropower cooperation, we collaborate with lead-
Since the founding days of Voith, our ing universities and research institutions
engineers write with their inventions around the globe, e. g. in Germany,
History of Technology. Knowing that we France, Switzerland, Brazil and Canada.
can only secure the future of hydropow- For instance, Voith Hydro endows a junior
er through continuous innovation, Voith professorship for research into hydro-
continually invests in research and devel- power generators at Leibniz University
opment of its technologies – from tur- of Hannover. Part of the research is the
bines, generators and pumps, through Generator Converter Laboratory, a uni-
automation and services, to the growing versal generator test bench.
portfolio of digital solutions for intelligent
hydropower.

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15
Next level –
intelligent hydropower

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Automation technologies have been Detection, diagnosis & optimization
Customer benefits when working
standard in the energy industry for de- Our OnPerformance.Lab located in the
together with the OnPerformance.Lab:
cades. Hydropower plants are highly Brunnenmühle combines deep hydro-
automated, e. g., they are networked power domain knowledge with state- • Reduced unplanned downtime
within the power supply grid as well as of-the-art data analytics. For instance, • Optimized maintenance planning
controlled or operated remotely as a we offer remote health assessments, and plant operation
power plant tool. acoustic diagnostics and online moni- • Reduced maintenance costs
toring. With smart products and servic- • Fast, remote expert support
Now Voith is taking the next step in this es like these, we enable hydropower • Concrete and personalized advice
digital transformation, bringing value- plant operators to achieve greater effi- based on machine condition
driven intelligence to the hydropower ciency, flexibility and increased opera-
plant with digital products and services tional reliability. This allows us to make
like the OnPerformance.Lab. our customers’ plants fit for the require-
ments of tomorrow.

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 VH3342, en, vvk, 2021-10. All data and information without obligation. Subject to change.

Voith Group
Voith Hydro Holding GmbH & Co. KG
Alexanderstr. 11
89522 Heidenheim, Germany

Contact:
Phone +49 7321 37-0
www.voith.com/smallhydro