SmallFlex

A new small HP plant that will be installed/built in the coming 2 to 3 years will be selected to provide a comprehensive set of research carried out by SCCER SoE partners (and if possible SCCER Furies and SCCER Crest). Thanks to a concurrent approach, this demontrator will show the ability of a small hydropower station to produce clean, sustainable and renewable energy while producing ancillary services.

Using the results from WP2 and WP3, several topics will be addressed such as:

• the now-casting and seasonal forecasts of discharge to the water intake as a basis for sediment management and for a flexible power production scheme;
• a critical review of the implemented operation practice, in view of efficiency improvements considering multi-sectorial objectives;
• a technical optimisation of the hydro electrical equipment operating conditions allowing a flexible control and set up of a predictive maintenance;
• investigation of the ecosystem functioning (metabolism, food web), fish migration and biodiversity;
• assessment of the new regulation for small hydropower plant and the possible financial models.

Small hydropower and happy fish? Blog article by Philipp Meier and Katharina Lange. Available in English, German and French.