D-HYDROFLEX solutions will be demonstrated on six real hydroelectric power plants (HPP) across five European countries. This will ensure the replicability of the developed solutions in different geographical and market set ups testing variety use cases.
Demo #1 Wały Śląskie HPP in Poland
Demo site characteristics
The Wały Śląskie hydroelectric power plant, situated in Brzeg Dolny, Lower Silesia Province in Poland, serves dual purposes as a navigation and power dam. Managed by the Regional Water Management Authority for navigation and owned by TAURON Ekoenergia for power operations, it commenced operations in 1959. This run-of-river power plant boasts a 10 MW capacity, employing four Kaplan hydrosystems. These systems have specific parameters including an installed capacity of 2430 kW, a flow rate of 60/s, a drop of 4.7 m, and a synchronous generator with 6.3 kV voltage.
Demo outcomes
In Polish demo, D-HYDROFLEX will develop the digital twin of a selected hydro system and will test decision-making algorithms, implement real-time turbine discharge measurement methods, install efficiency meters for real-time operation, and create adaptive mechanisms for turbine operation under varying conditions.
Demo impact
These innovations will improve economic impact of turbine set operations and facilitate seamless decision-making processes for uninterrupted business and technological operations.
Demo #2 Bratia HPP in Romania
Demo site characteristics
Bratia Hydro Power Plant is located on the Bratia River in Albeștii de Muscel, Argeș County, Romania. Operational since 2013, this river flow HPP has an installed capacity of 1.56MW. It operates as a derivation-type hydropower system, utilizing two Pelton turbines with capacities of 500kW and 1000kW respectively. The plant includes a 4,000m supply pipeline with a level difference of approximately 250m. To ensure efficient energy supply, the plant is connected to the grid through a 10km medium voltage cable, with energy supplied to the grid via a 2,000kVA 20/0.4kV transformer on site.
Demo outcomes
The Romanian demo will test pioneering innovations at Bratia power plant, including fault detection and predictive maintenance based on sophisticated data processing. Additionally, it will test advanced energy production forecasting methods utilizing machine learning algorithms and incorporating operational and environmental data. This demo will also test hybridization techniques, demonstrating how the flexibility of a HPP can be enhanced by integrating its operation with other renewable energy sources through local smart grids and Virtual Power Plants.
Demo impact
The demonstrated innovations will minimise the operating costs of HPPs making them more cost effective and will increase their smart readiness for their integration and operation into local smart grids.
Demo #3 Salto de Touro Hybrid HPP in Spain
Demo site characteristics
“Salto de Touro” is reservoir hydro power plant and it is situated on the Ulla River in north-western Spain in the province of A Coruña. This plant, operational since 2008 and managed by TASGA, boasting a gravity reservoir with a capacity of 3.7 hm3 and a maximum operational flow of 60 m3/s. Operating autonomously, it incorporates two Kaplan vertical axis turbines with a total installed power of approximately 12 MW.
Demo outcomes
The Spanish demo aims to revolutionize run-of-river hydro power plants by integrating a hybrid model for enhanced flexibility, cost-effectiveness, and environmental sustainability. This involves generating hydrogen on-site through an electrolysis plant with 0.4 MW of installed capacity, contributing to a substantial reduction of emissions compared to conventional technologies. Other key outcomes include advancements in hybrid power plant knowledge, algorithms for optimal operation, and comprehensive environmental parameter monitoring.
Demo impact
This demo not only fosters sustainable practices but also facilitates the integration of hydrogen technology in small hydro power plants, aligning with energy targets and enhancing economic and environmental sustainability within the hydro power sector.
Demo #4 Mauzac HPP and Sélune River study site in France
Demo site characteristics
The D-HYDROFLEX tools will be tested in two different pilot sites in the French demonstrator: one site is in Dorogne River (Mauzac HPP) and one is in Selune river. The Mauzac hydroelectric power plant is located on the Dordogne River (southwest of France) and is one of the 3 HPPs of the Bergerac group. The Mauzac HPP is the most upstream of the 3 HPP and is a run-of-river power plant with an installed capacity of 13.2 MW with 1 Kaplan and 5 Francis turbines. The site is composed by a long inlet canal, a powerhouse and a large dam equipped with 10 gates. The entry of the inlet canal is divided in 3 intakes.
The second study site is located on the Sélune River that is a small coastal river located in Normandy. It is home to many fish types e.g., Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar), sea trout (Salmo trutta), European eel (Anguilla anguilla).
Demo outcomes
The study in the Mauzac HPP focuses on the protection of silver eels during their downstream migration season. The study in the Selune river focuses on the installation of monitoring equipment, including hydroacoustic cameras, that will aid in studying migratory fish populations and their behaviours.
Demo impact
These efforts align with the goals of increasing hydropower production while minimizing the environmental impact. The French demonstrator showcases a commitment to sustainable energy practices and effective fish conservation strategies.
Demo #5 Kremasta and Ilarion HPPs in Greece
Demo site characteristics
The D-HYDROFLEX tools will be tested in two different power plants in the Greek demonstrator, namely in Kremasta and Ilarion HPPs. Kremasta HPP is the largest Hellenic hydroelectric power plant. It is located on Acheloos river/basin in West Continental Greece, and it is used for hydropower production and flood control. It is an earth fill power plant with total installed capacity 437 MW produced by four Francis turbines with a nominal power of 109 MW each. The HPP’s mean annual production is 848 GWH and the height of water fall is 132 m.
Ilarion is a relatively new (operated commercially for the first time in 2014) hydro power plant located on Aliakmon River in Western Macedonia. It is used for hydropower production, irrigation and water supply and it has a total installed capacity 153 MW that is produced by two Francis turbines with a nominal power of 76 MW each. The HPP’s mean annual production is 320 GWH and the height of water fall is 104 m.
Demo outcomes
This demo will implement methods and tools to integrate geometric, non-geometric and management information into an asset management platform, including geometrics and semantics of dam components and the relationships among them and develop an AI-based framework for automatically generating the geometric digital twin model for the dam. Also, it will test a federated solution for detecting and discriminating against various kinds of cyberattacks and anomalies in energy environments.
Demo impact
The Greek demonstration aims to enhance hydroelectric power plant resilience by early detection of intrusions and suggest data standards for efficient digital dam management in operations and maintenance.
