Hydropower plants
16 % of the worldwide electricity demand is covered by the hydraulic power generation through hydropower plants.
Hydropower plants use the gravitational or kinetic energy of stored or flowing water to convert it into electricity.
Hydropower is the most widely used form of renewable energy. ANDRITZ HYDRO supplies turnkey tailor-made solutions for all kind of hydropower plants, from initial design to final commissioning – “from water-to-wire”.
Every hydropower location is different. Depending on net-head, water flow or storage capacity the erection of a hydropower plant requires careful planning and design as well as meticulous manufacturing and accurate installation of the technical equipment.
Types of hydropower plants
Run-of-river power plants
- Low head and medium/large flow
- Rivers with small or no reservoir, no large head change possible
- Francis, Kaplan and bulb turbines
- Base load power stations
Storage power plants
- High heads and medium flow
- Pelton turbines
- Peak load generation
Pumped storage power plants
- Using/pumping of water between upper and lower reservoir
- Pump turbines
- Support for grid stability and peak load
Tidal power plants
- Using the ocean energy of tides
- Bulb turbines
Tidal current power plants
- Using the tidal current flow