Hydropower Knowledge

Selecting a site for a hydropower dam is one of the most important decisions in renewable energy planning. A well-chosen site can provide decades of clean, reliable electricity at low cost. A poorly chosen one can lead to structural failure, environmental damage, social conflict, and financial lo...Read more »

Small hydropower (SHP) is increasingly recognized as a vital renewable energy solution, particularly for electrifying remote rural areas. However, developing a successful small hydropower plant requires careful attention to a wide range of technical, environmental, social, and regulatory factors....Read more »

Small hydropower stations play a vital role in decentralized and renewable energy generation, especially in remote, mountainous or rural areas where grid extension is difficult. A small hydropower plant typically ranges from a few kilowatts to about 10 MW, although many national standards define ...Read more »

Micro hydropower, typically defined as installations with a capacity of less than 500 kW, offers a proven, low-cost, and environmentally benign solution for rural electrification. Among the various MHP configurations, diversion or run-of-river (RoR) schemes are particularly attractive for remote ...Read more »

In mountainous Greece, irrigation dams that serve agricultural and drinking water needs offer untapped opportunities for micro hydropower development. Research has shown that transforming these dams into small-scale hydropower facilities can have a twofold effect: enhancing the local energy portf...Read more »

Russia, the largest country on Earth, spans eleven time zones and encompasses vast remote territories where conventional centralized power grids either do not reach or function unreliably. In this context, micro-hydropower — usually defined as hydroelectric plants with a capacity of up to 100 kil...Read more »

Athens, Greece – July 2026 – A delegation from Chengdu Forster Technology Co., Ltd., a leading Chinese hydro turbine manufacturer based in Sichuan, recently completed a week-long site visit to a hydropower facility in Greece equipped with a 2.2MW axial-flow hydroelectric generating unit. The visi...Read more »

Central Asia is sitting on one of the world’s greatest untapped energy treasures. With the largest feasible hydropower potential globally—an estimated 8,160 TWh per year—the region has only tapped about 25% of its capacity so far. But that’s changing fast. The Numbers Tell the Story ...Read more »

Bulgaria’s micro-hydropower stations exhibit a unique distribution pattern, combining traditional mountain rivers with innovative water pipelines. They are primarily located in two main areas: Traditional Micro-Hydropower Stations: Concentrated in the Danube River Basin and Mountainous Regi...Read more »

The Russian Far East (RFE) — a vast territory spanning from Lake Baikal to the Pacific Ocean and extending into the Arctic — possesses one of the world’s most extraordinary concentrations of hydropower resources. The region accounts for approximately 42% of Russia’s total hydroelectri...Read more »

Impulse turbines are a class of hydraulic turbines in which the pressure energy of water is entirely converted into kinetic energy before the water strikes the turbine runner. Unlike reaction turbines, impulse turbines operate at atmospheric pressure, with energy extraction occurring through the ...Read more »

A run-of-river hydro system consists of several interconnected components that must be carefully designed. The intake diverts water from the river into the hydro scheme. A diversion weir raises the water level slightly to ensure adequate flow into the intake channel. Filters and trash racks remov...Read more »