hypowerby Voith Hydro — N° 33

20
Exceptional
The StreamDiver family of compact
turbines is suitable for a wide
variety of installation situations insmall-scale hydropower

24
Efficient

Groundbreaking Project:
Hydropower
Canada is creating economic and social opportunities throughthe development of a sustainable energy supply

By successfully digitalizing
maintenance processes,
OnCare.Asset increases availability
with less effort

26
Exact
Voith’s R&D center meetsincreasing design andhydraulic requirements using
high-precision measurementsfrom model tests

Editorial
hypower N° 33

08Hydropower is essential to the decarbonization of electricity generation
via renewable energy sources. Its keyrole in both generation and as aform of green storage for intermittent
wind and solar power is undisputed.
But large-scale and small-scale hydropower plants make important con­tributions far beyond that. In this issue,
we highlight the improvements theybring about, ranging from outstandinglarge-scale projects in North America
that are giving the development of
remote regions a major boost to a successful industrial partnership in Africa
that is driving electrification forward. Examples from Europe illustrate how
intelligent digitalization is increasing
the efficiency of existing plants. In
addition, you’ll learn how Voith Hydro’s
intensive research and development
efforts are not only helping to maximizehydropower’s potential but are also
further improving the sustainability of theenergy source itself.
Happy reading!

Contents

Uwe Wehnhardt
President & CEO, Voith Hydro

02 Editorial

Two large-scale hydropower projects
in Canada are unlocking new economic andenvironmental opportunities

Zoom04 	A Perfect Reproduction
Voith’s new reverse engineering
service accurately replicatesmissing or damaged power plantcomponents

News
06	Brief Reports
from the world of Voith Hydro

50to1,450 kWpower output
per unit

innovate

07	A Look at Key Trends
08	A Major Impact
Canada is expanding its sustainable power production throughnew large-scale hydropower projects. They are giving the energy
industry additional options in the
North American market andproviding important employment
opportunities14	Energy for New Opportunities
Voith is working with Berkeley­Energy to drive the expansion ofhydropower in Africa. An interview
on the partnership’s prospects
18	A Perfect Pair
The collaboration between
Sintaksa and Voith gives customers access to innovative complete
E&M packages from a single
source20

The StreamDiver family of compact
turbines reduces installation costs ina wide variety of situations
hypower N° 33

32

Through its customer-centric training
program, Voith is safeguarding
expert knowledge and promoting
Hydro talents

24

Publishing Information
Publisher:
Voith Hydro Holding GmbH & Co. KG
St. Pöltener Strasse 43
89522 Heidenheim, Germany
hypower@voith.com
Responsible for Content/Editor-in-Chief:
Kathrin Röck,
Voith Hydro Holding GmbH & Co. KG

Digitalizing maintenanceprocesses cuts costs and increases
plant availability

Editorial team:
Faktor 3 AG,
Hamburg/Berlin, Germany
Design:stapelberg&fritz gmbh,
Stuttgart, Germany
Printing:
Wahl-Druck GmbH
Aalen, Germany
Copyright:
No part of this publication may be reproduced,
distributed, or transmitted in any form or by anymeans without the prior written permission of
the publisher and none of the content contained
herein may be used in whole or in part in otherworks in any form.

26

High-precision model tests at
Voith’s R&D center complement
numerical simulation models

transform

reflect

19	New Systems and Services

29	Insights and Inside Views

20	New Options for Small Hydro
The StreamDiver family ofcompact turbines can be integrated into a wide variety of
installation scenarios extremely
cost-effectively

30	Sustainable Through and ThroughFocused research makes hydro­
power even more sustainable.
The Voith approach goes far beyond
turbines optimized to protect fish24	Digital Maintenance with
­OnCare.Asset
OnCare.Asset digitalizes hydropower maintenance processes
within a centralized software application. Initial customer projects
aim to improve plant availability while significantly cutting
costs
26	Putting the Future to the Test
Increasing design and hydraulicrequirements necessitate
high-quality measurements inmodel tests. Voith’s globallyunique R&D center delivers them32	Knowledge is (Hydro) PowerThe world of hydropower is becoming
more complex, more digital andmore international. Through its Hydro
Development Program, Voith ispreserving existing knowledge for the
future and systematically promoting
young talent

Photo credits:
Cover page: BBE Hydro Constructors LP
pp. 4 – 5: AMETEK GMBH –DIVISION CREAFORM GERMANY(Renderings)/Jan Steins (illustration)
p. 6: shutterstock (background)p. 7: CTG
pp. 8 – 11: BBE Hydro Constructors LP
pp. 12 – 13: BC Hydropp. 14 – 17: Jan Steins (illustration)
p. 18: Sintaksa
p. 19: CHESF
pp. 30 – 31: gettyimages (photo)pp. 32 – 35: Manfred Jarischpp. 36 – 37: Jan Steins (illustration)
All other photos are from Voith.
Feedback:
If you have any questions or comments about
this issue of hypower, please contact us by email
at hypower@voith.com or via
www.twitter.com/voith_hydrowww.linkedin.com/company/voith-hydro36	Out of the Box
Hydropower has a long tradition in
Canada – and also serves asa source of artistic inspiration

36

Formerly a power plant component,
today, art – hydropowerin Canada has many facets
hypower N° 33

Contents 03

Perfe40
0.015
Flexible
The Creaform HandySCAN 3D laser scanner
offers more freedom than a 3D measuring
arm when scanning hydropower components
of different sizes.

%

40% time and cost savings potential can be achieved byreverse engineering common hydropower plant components.

mm/m

The high measuring accuracy makes the opticalcoordinate measuring system suitable for large projectsand ­components from 2 to 10 meters in length.

04 Zoom

hypower N° 33

ect

Reproduction

To avoid expensive redesigns, Voith’s reverse-engineering service gives operators
the option of creating an exact replica of any component, even if it comes from a
100-year-old power plant and is damaged or undocumented. This involves digitizing therespective component with the aid of high-precision photogrammetric images and asubsequent laser scan. The polygon models generated from the scan data are then usedas the basis for creating a digital twin of the original using CAD software. It serves
as the template for reproducing the component in physical form. The size of the elements
is essentially unlimited. “We can, for example, digitize complete Francis impellers
with a diameter of several meters,” says Daniel Roessler, quality engineer atVoith. Since only laptop, laser scanner and photogrammetry camera are required,the components can be scanned directly on location at the operator’s site, saving time.

Exact
The Creaform MaxSHOT 3D
optical image measurement system generates photogrammetry
images to use as the basis
for subsequent laser scanning.

hypower N° 33

Transparent
In PolyWorks Modeler, the guidevane can be inspected withthe added filler piece (in blue).

1

Marking points (positioning targets) andscale bars are attached to and placed on theobject as a size reference.

2

A photogrammetry measurement from multiple
angles captures the baseline object data.

3

The laser scanner scans the component
using the positioning targets captured via
photogrammetry as a guide.

Zoom 05

UndergroundReservoirs
As a result of the expansion of windand solar power, pumped storage
power plants are gaining importanceas a “green battery” to balance out
the power grid and prevent outages.
Together with the Swedish company Mine Storage, Voith wants to
explore new applications for thetechnology. The focus is on the useof former mines for hydropower. They
offer tremendous potential, espe­
cially since there are more than one
million abandoned mines worldwide. Adapting the abovegroundpumped storage design with higher
and lower reservoirs to the mining
environment poses a technical challenge. In order to find suitable
solutions, the partners are therefore
planning initial development projects
at two locations in Sweden.

1
Kristinehamn
The town in thecentral Swedish
province ofVärmlands has along traditionof manufacturing
turbines.

Planting trees tobenefit theenvironment
On the globally observed World
Environment Day
2021, Voith
Hydro employees
planted 110
trees in Vadodara,
India.
2

2

Constructive
Environmental Protection
Employees at Voith Hydro’s Indian location in Vadodara
made a lasting contribution on World Environment
Day 2021 (celebrated on June 5). Not only did they use
posters to educate the public about environmental
protection and its importance, but they also planted 110
trees on the factory site. The grounds now boast a
total of around 2,600 trees spread over an area of 200,000
square meters. The initiative was aligned with theUnited Nations Environment Program’s focus this year on
restoring ecosystems, including through reforestation.
06 News

Newsfrom the World of Voith Hydro

1

10 Years of
Outstanding
Performance
Voith Hydro’s location in Kristinehamn, Sweden,celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2021.
The site opened in 2011 with two employees
who brought their many years of experience inturbine manufacturing to the table. With
growing success came the expansion of theVoith Hydro location here, which boasts a
turbine manufacturing tradition stretching backmore than 100 years. In 2015, it moved into
the Norra Verken building complex. Today,
13 employees here provide a range of services
for water turbines including overhauls. At thesame time, Kristinehamn is the center ofVoith’s turbine business in the Nordic region. In
this exceptional year, the subsidiary will becarrying out the Sallsjö modernization project
for the utility company Skellefteå Kraft,which recently also awarded Voith a similar
contract for the Selsfors power plant. In bothprojects, Kristinehamn is modernizing theturbine, while Voith Hydro’s Swedish headquarters in Västerås is overhauling the generator.
hypower N° 33

hypower N° 33

innovate 07

07

18

A Look at Key Trends

China’s first hydropower plant was equipped with Voith technology back in 1910.
Now, after more than 100 years and 54,000 MW of installed capacity, Voith’s
work with Chinese operators has reached a new high – on July 1, the Wudongde
impoundment hydropower plant on the Jinsha River began commercial operations.
With a total capacity of 10.2 GW, it is the seventh largest of its kind globally.
The plant, which is owned by the utility company China Three Gorges (CTG), features 12 turbine-driven generator units with a capacity of 850 MW each. Voith
designed, manufactured and brought six of them into operation on site. These rank
among the highest-capacity generators in the world and are the most powerful

Wudongde
Pointsthe WayPage

ever built by Voith. The high-precision design of all the components allowed Voith
to not only meet but even exceed CTG’s stringent requirements with respect
to operating parameters such as vibration, oscillation and temperature. The outstanding results in trial operation and the close collaboration in spite of thepandemic contributed to a high level of customer satisfaction. Once all of the units
have been brought on stream, Wudongde will generate 38.9 TWh of renewableenergy per year. As a result, it is also playing a major role in reducing China’s carbon
emissions, as the power it generates will save 12.2 million metric tons of standard
coal each year, reducing the country’s carbon emissions by 30.5 million metric tons.

MWis generated by each
unit with the help
of Francis turbines.

make up the Wudongde power plant, oneof four large power plants on the Jinsha River.

12 units

850

innovate

A BigCanada is not only expanding hydropower to generate
even more sustainable electricity. Major new projects arealso giving the energy industry additional optionsin the North American market and providing important
employment opportunities for the people in theprovinces. Voith is laying the foundations for this by
supplying the complete electromechanical equipment for
two power plants.

08 innovate

hypower N° 33

2
1

CANADA

Keeyask

Site CUSA

1

2

Site C is a large-scale hydropower
project operated by the utility
company BC Hydro in the Canadianprovince of British Columbia.

Keeyask is a partnership between
Manitoba Hydro and four First
Nation communities being built in
the province of Manitoba.

Impacthypower N° 33

innovate 09

The Keeyask hydroelectric generating station is
being built on Indigenous land and involving
the local population in the value creation process.

yask

Kee

4,400
GWh

per year will be generatedby Keeyask.

7 Units
that Voith developed andinstalled on site feature
a new, particularly efficientturbine design.

10 innovate

hypower N° 33

k

The future is not only built in major metropolitan
areas. Often the things that advance the socioeco­
nomic development of a society are developed
far away. Particularly in the field of energy supply– and especially in Canada. More than 700 kilometers north of the provincial capital Winnipeg,
the Keeyask hydroelectric power station is being
built on the Nelson River that will not only pro­
duce electricity but also further increase the shareof renewable energy in Canada’s electricity mix.
At the same time, it is also a new source of value
creation, jobs and prospects for the future.
The development of the Keeyask Project is apartnership between Manitoba Hydro and four
Manitoba First Nations – Tataskweyak Cree Nation,
War Lake First Nation, York Factory First Nation,
and Fox Lake Cree Nation – working together as
the Keeyask Hydropower Limited Partnership(KHLP).
On behalf of Manitoba Hydro, Voith will be
responsible for designing, supplying and installingseven propeller turbine generator units. Witha total capacity of 695 MW, they are expected togenerate around 4,400 GWh of green power
annually once the station comes on stream – andmake the future more secure. This is because
the province is growing and, with it, the demandfor energy, the company states. Keeyask will
be able to supply power to an additional 400,000
households.

695
MW

rated power isachieved by each of
the seven turbines.

400,
000

households can besupplied with powerfrom Keeyask.

98 %of Manitoba Hydro’s
electricity isalready generated byhydropower.

-25°C
outside tempera‑ture and
only 6.5 hoursof daylightmake construction
work difficult in
the winter.

More than60 %of Canada’s
electricity is
generated by hydropower.

More than
Dykes 23 kilometers long
border the north and south sides of
the Keeyask reservoir.

30 %A cost-optimized generating station
To keep concrete and earthwork costs down, Manitoba
Hydro asked bidders to optimize the dimensionsof the generating station using a 3D model during thebidding phase.

Since the summer of 2014, hundreds ofworkers have been working on this site day in andday out to make this vision a reality, the majorityof them from Manitoba, including many Indigenous
people from the region. A project labour agreement was utilized to create consistent terms andconditions of employment, and included a centralized recruitment service. As well, training andvocational programs were established.
The engineering requirements are high, but canbe easily met with Voith Hydro’s expertise andrange of products. “As with any large hydropower
project, it’s a matter of finding a customized
solution that fits the specific circumstances,” says
Project Director David Latour. Due to the low
head, some of the seven units’ main components
were designed quite large, resulting in the run‑ners reaching a diameter of 8.35 meters and thegenerator rotors measuring 13.67 meters each.
A new, highly efficient turbine design ensuresthat the units operate particularly cost-effectively.

of the hydropower
technology
installed acrossCanada isfrom Voith.

Employment andTraining
Keeyask provides important employment opportunities
for the four First Nations involved – Indigenous people
from the region make up a large portion of the construction workforce, accounting for 39% of total hires on the
project are Indigenous. In addition, vocational training
programs offer career development opportunities.

hypower N° 33

innovate 11

The real challenges lie in completely different
areas. On the one hand, the necessary parts
are sourced from suppliers all over the world. Thisrequires excellent coordination, logistics andspecial technical attention to ensure that a missing
bolt doesn’t slow down construction progress
as a result of Keeyak’s isolated location. “Voith has
the knowledge, experience and capacity to planand manage such megaprojects, including coor­dinating procurement and installation processes,”
Latour affirms.
On the other hand, the COVID-19 pandemic
has reached Keeyask and delayed work there.
The job site had a temporary reduction in workforce
for eight weeks. Because many workers never­theless decided to remain on site and continue
working without phys­ical contact with the outside
world for safety reasons, construction activities
didn’t come to a standstill. “Extensive measures
were taken to protect them,” says the Voith
manager. “Even though the work was a little slower,
it was still progressing.”
And milestones were also successfully
reached, as the first unit was handed over by Voith
to Manitoba Hydro for commissioning in April
2020, six months ahead of schedule. In the meantime, five more units have been handed overto Manitoba Hydro. The last one is scheduled tofollow in December 2021. At that point, Keeyask
will no longer be just a dot on the Canadianmap, but a major producer of sustainable energy
on North America’s power grid.

Site C is one of Canada’s largest
infrastructure projects andis helping to make green power available
on particularly favorable terms.

CSite
12,875kilometersis the distance that two turbine
runners produced by Voith inSão Paulo, Brazil, had to travel by
sea to the Port of Prince Rupert
in British Columbia.

Jump-Starting the Energy
Transition
Lower electricity prices for companies that go green –this is the concept the Canadian government, thegovernment of British Columbia, and the utility company
BC Hydro are using to reduce greenhouse gas emis‑
sions and entice companies to relocate to this province.
New clean industries – such as those producing hydro‑
gen or biofuels – are expected to benefit, as are existing
companies that switch from fossil fuels to electricity.
In return, BC Hydro is offering industrial customers
a 20 percent discount off of its standard rates. This will
be locked in for five years, after which the price will
gradually increase to the normal level by the eighth year.

12 innovate

81
metersis the length of the heavy-duty
truck that was used to transport therunners to the job site. In the process, one truck pulled the cargo
while two others pushed at the rear.

hypower N° 33

About 2,000 kilometers by car to the west,
the objective is the same. In the province of British
Columbia near Fort St. John, one of Canada’s
largest infrastructure projects is currently underconstruction: the Site C Clean Energy Project. As
the third power plant along the Peace River, it
will generate around 5,100 GWh of electricity per
year with a capacity of 1,100 MW, thus creating
carbon-neutral supply security over the long term.
Because of its track record in similarly complex projects, Voith was contracted by the operator
BC Hydro to design, manufacture and install six
Francis turbines together with the generators andelectromechanical equipment. “Site C will help
reduce British Columbia’s carbon emissions andprovide enough sustainably produced power
for 450,000 homes annually,” sums up Lawson
Crichton, Business Development Manager atVoith Hydro in Canada.
Work on Site C began all the way back in July
2015. Voith built a temporary production facility
directly on site to manufacture the steel structuresneeded for the turbines and generators. At thesame time, the earthworks were underway. Because Voith optimized the space requirements ofthe turbine-generator solution, BC Hydro wasable to reduce the dimensions of the generating
station and thus its construction costs.

1,100
MW

the total capacity
by which the regional
utility company
BC Hydro is expanding power
generated at Site C.

5,100
GWh

of renewable energy
is expected to besupplied annually by
the hydroelectric
plant once it is completed.

450,
000

households canbe suppliedwith electricity from
Site C.

13,000

person-yearsof direct employment
during theconstruction means
the power plant ishaving a major
impact on the region.
Heavy transport in the dead of winter
A partially rehabilitated private road was used to transport
the runners. The two-week drive had to take placein January 2021 in order for the frozen roads to even beable to support the load.

hypower N° 33

Generating station under construction
For the Site C project, Voith is supplying and installing
six vertically arranged Francis turbines andgenerators as well as the electromechanical equipment.

The turbines for units 1 and 2 were delivered in
March 2021. While the Voith team is now busy
assembling their components in parallel in the newgenerating station, the remaining equipment isbeing completed and held in a storage area until it
can also be installed according to the projectschedule.
Similar to Keeyask, the coronavirus pandemic
has caused uncertainty and delays at Site C,
but it has not brought manufacturing and construction to a standstill. “With up to 4,500 workers
on site for the main construction activities,
the generating station, and turbine and generator
construction, COVID-19 caused a few minor
disruptions but had little impact on Voith’s overall
schedule,” Crichton clarifies.
Today, the workforce already includes manymembers of the Indigenous population of thesurrounding area, including many in training. Afterthe hydroelectric generating station comes on
stream, they will continue to be involved in the pro­
ject through ongoing employment opportunities
in fields such as operations or maintenance – theresults of which will then benefit the entire province.

innovate 13

Energyfor New

OpportuAs an investor and project developer, Berkeley Energy iscommitted to the construction of hydropower plantsin emerging markets. What are your main areas of focus
in this regard?
TC Kundi: Berkeley is a uniquely positioned private equity
investor focused exclusively on renewable energy generation
projects in developing and emerging markets in Asia andAfrica. With respect to hydropower development, our focus
is on run-of-river projects that have a low impact on theenvironment. Our largest hydro projects typically have a capacity of about 100 megawatts.
What do you see as the unique potential of hydropowerin this context?
TC Kundi: Renewables represent an important part of theenergy mix when it comes to meeting global decarbonization
targets. The energy resources we develop also come fromthe respective market and create a reliable domestic power
generation site there.
14 innovate

hypower N° 33

Voith is working with Berkeley Energy to drive the expansionof hydropower in Africa. An interview on thepartnership’s prospects for the region and both companies.

unities
Ravi Kalra
Ravi Kalra: Solar and wind power are playing an increas­
ingly important role around the globe. But hydropower
remains an indispensable tool to integrate intermittent energy
sources into a stable grid.
Berkeley Energy and Voith have been working together
for some time. When and how did the collaboration
begin, and what were the most important criteria for you
in choosing Voith as your technical project partner?
TC Kundi: Berkeley began investing in Asia in 2009,
and we were looking for a loyal and powerful partner in eachof our technologies of focus. We wanted to work withmarket-­leading OEMs to ensure a best-in-class approach,underpinned by deep and relevant experience. All thesefactors were arguments in favor of Voith when it came tochoosing a hydropower partner.
hypower N° 33

Ravi Kalra is the CEO of
Voith Hydro India. Having
worked in the globalhydropower sector for morethan 15 years, he has
extensive industry knowledge,
especially in the field ofsmall-scale and medium-­scale plants.

TC Kundi
TC Kundi is the CEO of­Berkeley Energy and a board
member of the holding
company, Berkeley Energy
Limited. In his different
roles, he can draw on his expertise from 30 years ofexperience as an owner andoperator of renewable energy
systems.
innovate 15

Access to power, especially on the
African continent, will drive asignificant level of economic andsocial development.
Ravi Kalra
CEO of Voith Hydro India

Ravi Kalra: Energy poverty feeds the vicious cycle of hunger,
poor health and limited opportunities to earn a living.
­Access to power, especially on the African continent where
Berkeley Energy is currently investing, will make a huge
difference in people’s lives and drive a significant level of
economic and social development. Africa has great potential
just waiting to be tapped.

Ravi Kalra: I can still remember our first meeting in 2012.
Berkeley was excited to be able to invest in a small
Indian hydropower project. Berkeley’s team was extremely
clear, focused, highly professional and transparent intheir selection of a vendor for the electrical and mechanicalequipment. Although the project in India ultimately failed tomaterialize, both companies gained a solid understanding ofeach other’s strengths and soon a new opportunity arosein the Philippines. I think there was always a sense of mutual
trust and confidence that worked well for our relationship.
You are currently working on three hydropower projects
in Uganda. Less than 15 percent of the population
there has access to electricity. Can electrification also
contribute to social development?
TC Kundi: Run-of-river hydropower and other renewables
already account for a significant share of power generation
throughout Uganda. This diversity is helping establish acentral grid. Our development projects also create grid stability and build “energy highways” that provide accessto power to everyone along their entire length. The Ugandan
investments prove it.

COVID-19 continues to hinder work on projects aroundthe world, however. What are you doing to ensure thatworking under pandemic conditions in Uganda is as safe
as possible?
TC Kundi: We work hard to protect the safety of all our contractors and employees by following the best available
international guidelines. We have also developed a local,
site-­specific approach with strict quarantining backed up by
regular testing. Our approach to testing and contact
tracing has proven to be very effective. We also have on-site
medical teams to support the workforce and separate
quarantine facilities to protect the safety of returning or new
employees.

Berkeley’s goal is to become amajor investor in the field of smallscale to medium-scalehydropower plants worldwide.
We can only achieve this goalby collaborating with Voith for thelong term.
TC Kundi
CEO of Berkeley Energy

16 innovate

hypower N° 33

Teamwork
In the Kikagati project, Berkeley and Voith are building a power
plant along the Tanzanian-Ugandan border that will supply bothcountries with electricity.

What are your highlights in terms of collaboration
between the teams, especially when it comes to recent
work on site?
TC Kundi: What impressed me most was that we did nothave to stop work on any of our development projects
with Voith. All of them have continued to make progress.
There have been delays caused by factors beyond our control. But we have continued to make progress and arelooking to begin commercial operations at all of our sites
this year.
Ravi Kalra: The connection between the two companies
has gotten stronger at every level. In difficult times like these,
the first priority is to understand and acknowledge eachother’s issues and concerns, and to address them with transparent communication and understanding. Teams representing all of the stakeholders met on site, discussed the impact of the pandemic, considered all health and safety
protocols, and formalized all of the processes on site. The
current status and any new measures being taken in theevent of evolving situations are regularly reviewed during meetings. And both Berkeley’s and Voith’s offices are available
to provide assistance around the clock.
Ravi Kalra: COVID-19 poses unprecedented challenges,
and there isn’t a single set of tools that can be used torespond to every situation. Protecting the safety and healthof our employees is our top priority. We appreciate theway Berkeley has organized measures across all of its sites
and its strict adherence to protocols. This has built confidence. In addition, we communicate with our employees atthe sites on a daily basis to keep them up to date on measures to protect their health and well-being. We also keep intouch with their families to check on their well-being fromtime to time so they know they are being cared for by a larger
Voith family.

How satisfied is Berkeley with its partnership with
Voith? What benefits can it bring to both companies
over the long term?
TC Kundi: We are extremely satisfied with our partnershipwith Voith. The most impressive aspect of our collaborationis that we have achieved the same strong level of partnership across all sites, and the partner teams have been able
to overcome every single challenge they have faced.
­Berkeley’s goal is to become a major investor in the field ofsmall-scale to medium-scale hydropower plants worldwide.
We can only achieve this goal by collaborating with Voith
for the long term. And this partnership will help both Berkeley
and Voith to secure a leading position in the market.
Ravi Kalra: Both companies have developed a good senseof teamwork in all activities from planning to initial operation.
Work together is highly cooperative and characterized bya great sense of accountability. This goes far beyond a normal
client/contractor relationship and is a good sign. Berkeley
has the peace of mind of knowing it has a reliable technology
partner it can trust to provide the best possible equipment
and execution. At Voith, we are proud to be working with arespected global investor and are eager to continue thisrelationship beyond the projects we have completed to date.
It’s truly a win-win situation for both companies.

innovate 17

With its acquisition of Sintaksa, Voith continues to develop
in the direction of a small hydro systems integrator.
Customers benefit from the ability to obtain innovative complete
E&M packages from a single source.

A PerfectPair
1

Sintaksa has considerable expertise in automation systems.

1

Petar Jelinčić heads up the groupof small hydro specialists

2

2

18 innovate

Great things in small hydro – this is what Voith and Sintaksa
have set out to achieve together. In July 2020, Voith acquireda majority stake in the Croatian small hydro specialist that
focuses on products and services for electromechanical andautomation systems. The relationship has already provenits worth in initial projects, such as at the Brúarvirkjun power
plant (2 × 6 MVA) in Iceland, where the island’s operational
capability could only be tested remotely due to the pandemic,
and employee training had to be conducted online. Bothwent so successfully that they will serve as blueprints for remotely bringing plants into operation in the future.
With regard to the Boen Foss power plant (1× 4.1 MVA),
which was developed in accordance with Norwegian standards and norms, Sintaksa was responsible for implementation planning and supplied, among other equipment, thecontrol technology as well as safety and auxiliary systems.
In collaboration with Voith, the company succeeded inbringing the plant into operation on time despite the coronavirus pandemic. Sintaksa brought Palmafossen, another
Norwegian power plant with the same underlying specifications, on stream in the fall of 2021. In order to serve theimportant Norwegian market even better, Sintaksa has now
established a subsidiary there. The company intends tocollaborate just as closely with Voith in Southern and Western
Europe as well as Latin America, in addition to con­ducting
joint R&D activities. “Our customers benefit from receiving
everything from a single source,” explains Patric Sailer, headof the Small Hydro division at Voith Hydro. Sintaksa President Petar Jelinčić agrees, noting that “the special value ofour partnership lies in the mutual use of the technologies,
expertise and experience of both companies – which we can
combine in the best possible way according to the customer’s
specific requirements.”

hypower N° 33

hypower N° 33

transform 19

19

28

New Systems and Services

Voith is comprehensively modernizing the Brazilian run-of-river power plant PauloAfonso IV to make it more efficient and fit for the future. The country’s fourth-­largest energy supplier has been on stream since 1979. Voith has been providing
technology and engineering services for the plant since the start of the project.
In order to increase the total rated output of its six generator sets to 2.5 gigawatts,
the operator has engaged Voith to overhaul the turbines, including upgrading theFrancis runners with the latest hydraulic profiles. In conjunction with upgrading theUpdate for
the FuturePageelectromechanical equipment, the digitalization of the measurement, safety, control
and monitoring systems will also increase efficiency and safety. This will not only
extend the service life of the power plant but also increase the reliability of Brazil’s
interconnection. Around 120 jobs are expected to be created over the courseof the six-year project. After its modernization, the plant, which is operated by theutility company Chesf, will be able to supply another 170,000 Brazilians with power.

000

additional Brazilians
can be supplied with powerby the plant once
it has been overhauled.

was the year the run-of-river power plant was
brought into operation.

1979

170

transform

Optionsfor
Small Hydro
50to1,450 kWpower output
per unit

20 transform

The low-maintenance­StreamDiver compact turbine
has grown into its own productfamily. It can be integrated
into a wide variety of installation
scenarios extremely affordably.
Compact, flexible, extremely low-maintenance andparticularly environmentally friendly – endowedwith these features, the StreamDiver propeller turbine even opens up flowing waters with low heads
for energy production. Since coming onto themarket in 2013, the number of installations has risen steadily, not least because the ­StreamDivercan be integrated into existing dams and weirs at
low cost. To further facilitate this integration andalso completely new projects, Voith Hydro has expanded the compact turbine into an entire productfamily. Hydropower plant operators can now
choose from a total of five StreamDiver models witha power output of approximately 50 kW up to1,450 kW per unit. In combination with four
modular solutions for a wide variety of installation
situations, these turbines can be used to meetvirtually any requirement. “Compared to con­ven­
tional Kaplan solutions, the StreamDiver allows
projects to be completed with significantly lower
construction costs for concreting and earthworks,” says Sales and Project Engineer Albin
Atzmüller. “This can cut overall project costs by up
to 25 percent.”
The four installation scenarios predefined byVoith include a version with an inclined inlet
and conventional screen system, a compact shaft
power plant with horizontally aligned turbine,a vertical solution, and an in-pipe version that

Compared
to a con­ventional
plant, theStreamDivercuts oper­
ating andmaintenancecosts bymore thanhalf.
Albin Atzmüller
Sales and Project
Engineer,
Voith Hydro

2­ llows StreamDiver to be integrated into closedapipe systems. The cost benefits associatedwith them result from a number of features. The
standardized layouts for each installation situ­
ation, for example, shorten the planning stage. A
lower deep foundation compared to other turbine
concepts reduces construction costs. And thefact that there is only one point of contact with thecivil engineering team speeds up processes
during the construction stage. In addition, there’s
the benefit that comes from the fundamental
design of all the StreamDiver models – they do not
require a generating station. Instead, a space-­saving electrical container is all that is needed tohouse the control electronics and monitor the operating data. “We’re creating a very different
structure – a silent, inconspicuous power plantwith the least amount of construction work,”
Atzmüller emphasizes. The only minor structuralchanges at the respective site of operation and,StreamDiver
Application Diagram
Sizes and operating areas,
based on the standard StreamDiver

24.0

SD 16.95 (XL)

22.01450 kW1350 kW20.0

SD 14.90 (XL)

1250 kW18.01150 kW

16.0

SD 13.101050 kW950 kW

14.0

850 kW

1

Ready-to-ship unit
with extra durable marine bronze underwater plugs.

SD 10.15
SD 8.95

2

The StreamDiver is manufactured
at the Voith factory in St. Georgen, Austria.

SD 7.90

750 kW

10.0

650 kW

8.0

550 kW
450 kW

Unit discharge [m3/s]

1

12.0

SD 11.55

6.0
350 kW
4.0

250 kW
150 kW

2.0

50 kW
0.0
1.0

2.0

3.0

4.0

5.0

6.0

7.0

8.0

Net head [m]hypower N° 33

transform 21

Standard Solution
The water flows through a conventional
screen system and via an inclined inlet to
the StreamDiver turbine.

Shaft Power Plant
Because it channels the water througha shaft and a horizontal screen with
underwater screen cleaning unit, the shaft
power plant is short and compact. Thissignificantly reduces construction costs.

Vertical Layout
The vertical configuration of the turbinewith swiveling draft tube makes it possible
to change the direction of the water flow.
This results in a high degree of flexibility, forexample, when replacing turbines in­existing plants.

In-Pipe
The in-pipe solution offers the ability
to integrate the StreamDiver turbine into
closed pipe systems as well.

1	Machine cap made offiberglass-reinforced plastic
2 Water-lubricated bearings
3	Permanent-magnet generator inwater-filled turbine nacelle
4 Water-lubricated bearings5	Turbine housing with
fixed guide vanes
6	Electrical connections
7	Propeller-type runner

In addition to thebase model with rigid
guide vane, thefollowing alternativemodels are available:
StreamDiver RV
For applications witha fluctuatingwater supply, it has
an electricallyadjustable guidevane and speed
control.
StreamDiver HP
Optimized forhigh-headapplications, it isequipped withadaptedhydraulics andreinforced­water-lubricatedbearings.
StreamDiver RVT
The model is designed to be installedvertically witha positive setting.
It features an electrically adjustableguide vaneand speed control.
StreamDiver iP
The iP version of the
StreamDivercan be perfectly integrated into pipes
or used in siphon
applications.

StreamDiver
Base Model

7

4
2

3
1

22 transform

6
5

hypower N° 33

StreamDiver
Runner Dimensions

1
2

3

4

Five sizes
from arunnerdiameter of

0.79
metersThe StreamDiver
range includes
five runners with adiameter ofup to 1.31 meters.
In addition,
two XL sizes areavailable thatreach a maximum
diameter of
1.695 meters. Thismeans that it’s
possible to selectthe perfect
StreamDiver solution
depending on
the volume of waterand the head.

up to arunnerdiameter of5hypower N° 33

3

3

The StreamDiver’s design
with reduced complexity means low capital
investment and operating costs.

above all, the environmentally friendly StreamDiver
design with an oil and grease-free, exclusively
water-lubricated drivetrain also allow the models
to be used in environments that are particularly
sensitive from an ecological point of view.
The cost benefits of the concept continue inmaintenance and servicing. Thanks to its special
design, the compact propeller turbine doesn’t­require an excitation, coolant or lubricating oil
system, among other components, and requires
neither gears nor dynamic seals. The reduced
system complexity compared to conventional turbines results in easy-to-plan on-site inspection
intervals of five years; an overhaul to replace sliding
bearing modules is only due every 10 years or
so, depending on actual load. “Compared to a conventional plant, the StreamDiver cuts operating
and maintenance costs by more than half,” theengineer points out.
Atzmüller believes that the combination oflower overall project costs, minimal maintenanceeffort and added flexibility when integrating theturbine into existing structures means the­StreamDiver has tremendous potential for the future: “We now have an entire product family
that covers a very broad range of applications.”

Two XL sizes up to arunner diameter of

1.31 1.695
metersmeterstransform 23

Maintenancewith
OnCare.Asset

OnCare.Asset:
Roadmap to Predictive
Maintenance

Data Pool
Digitalization of existing data, implementationof the plant structure, material master data andkey figures
24 transform

1

Tablet replaces clipboard
Mobile apps make systematic digitalization
possible.

2

Gilgel Gibe II
OnCare.Asset will optimize maintenance atthe power plant in the future.

Relevant Equipment
Definition of important equipment and,if necessary, outfitting the equipment with QR
codes to access property information

Sensor Integration
Integration of existing sensors, e.g., tomeasure vibrations, pressure or temperatures;
retrofitting of additional sensors, if necessary
hypower N° 33

OnCare.Asset digitalizes hydropower
maintenance processes within acentralized software application. Following its introduction at Voith’s manu­
facturing facilities in Heidenheim and York,the solution is now being used by thecompany’s first customers. Experts
expect improved plant availability at asignificantly reduced cost.

1

2

Maintenance in hydropower – this still includes handwritten maintenance protocols and checklists.
However, “companies without mobile and digitalized
maintenance almost always suffer from poor data
quality. Documentation is usually only paper-basedand correspondingly error-prone,” notes Waldemar
Schombera, Technical Sales Manager Digitalization atVoith Hydro. This means that important information
may be missing in the event of a malfunction – a criticalshortcoming in the eyes of the expert. “If you wantto successfully digitalize processes, you avoid switching between different media formats,” says
Schombera. “This makes it easier for employees toembrace digitalization.”That’s why Voith consolidates all of the information
relevant to maintenance on a single digital platform:
OnCare.Asset. With the scalable solution for asset
performance management, the company has alreadysuccessfully digitized its own maintenance processes in Heidenheim, Germany, and York, PA, USA.
Now customers are also using it – the pumped-­storage plant in Vianden, Luxembourg, and the Gilgel
Gibe II hydroelectric station in Ethiopia are bothbeing equipped with OnCare.Asset.
In newer plants, machines are connected via the
Industrial Internet of Things, and sensors generate
real-time data that is analyzed in the cloud or on site.
This basis for predictive maintenance is missing
at the Vianden power plant. “Retrofitting older power
plants with smart sensors and edge devices andconnecting them to OnCare.Asset is, however, no
problem at all,” Schombera emphasizes.
In this context, mobile apps play a crucial role, as
they enable employees to receive their work assignments directly on their tablets instead of receiving themin paper form from the maintenance manager. Using

System Integration
Interface connection for ERP and processcontrol systems, integration with other OnCare
products
hypower N° 33

OnCare.Asset, they have access to all the information
about the asset at the same time. Digital maintenance plans, spare parts lists and checklists makedocumentation and implementation easier. “In order
to meet different requirements depending on the
power plant, OnCare.Asset has a modular structure,”emphasizes Jörg Lochschmidt, Vice President
Digital Hydro at Voith. “Today, our product suite gives
operators the ability to select from eight modules
in order to configure a customized asset performancesolution. One highlight is the live data connection
to our OnPerformance.Lab, where experts from Voith
Hydro provide recommendations on how to optimize
plant operation.”
In Vianden, technical stations and components
such as pumps will initially be tagged with QR codes.
When an employee scans the code, the app provides exploded-view drawings, repair instructions andspare parts information, among other details. “OnCare.Asset serves as the foundation for the digitalization of maintenance processes,” Schombera states.
“Using a tablet instead of a clipboard, employees cancapture data and information directly and digitally,
including photos. This seamless documentation thenleads to improved maintenance processes.”
OnCare.Asset shows the maintenance scheduler
each employee’s workload so they can accurately
schedule the assignments. OnCare.Asset prioritizes
notifications with damage codes and triggers further
steps, such as a spare parts order. The system ideally
distributes maintenance tasks across all employees.
“The challenge for the future will be to digitize theirknowledge and make it readily available,” Schombera
explains. For this purpose, at both Vianden and
Gilgel Gibe II, relevant information such as checklists
for inspection rounds is being digitized and plantand maintenance knowledge is gradually being saved
locally.
OnCare.Asset is still being implemented at thetwo hydropower stations. There is no question,
however, that it will lead to much more efficient maintenance processes once complete. The system’s
benefits on a global scale are equally beyond question.
“With annual maintenance costs in the hydropower sector of around 35 billion euros worldwide,
OnCare.Asset offers enormous savings potential,”
digitalization expert Schombera makes clear.

Training and Testing
Training and consulting with the maintenanceteam, test runs of the newly launched OnCare.
Asset system

Ideal Maintenance Strategy
An increasing amount of data and connectingwith Maintenance Excellence Consulting
to optimize the maintenance strategy
transform 25

Hydropower projects pose increasingly stringent design and hydraulicrequirements. The importance of high-quality measurements inmodel tests is correspondingly high. Voith consolidates its hydro expertisein an R&D center in Heidenheim that is the only of its kind in the world.

Putting
the

Futu
2

1

26 transform

1

Test rig
Voith has consolidated its entire hydroexpertise at the “Brunnenmühle” R&D center.

2

Optical measurement
A laser scanner scans the model of a Pelton
wheel bucket.

hypower N° 33

ure

to theTest

3

Numerical simulation models
are supplemented by conclusive model tests
at the R&D center.

3
hypower N° 33

Securing the energy supply for an entire region,
feeding the rail power grid for rail services atthe same time, and all while increasing the shareof power generated from sustainable sources –it would be hard to place much higher demands
on a single hydropower project. Ritom is supposed to meet them. The pumped-storage power
plant in the Swiss canton of Ticino, which
Voith is equipping with two 60-megawatt Peltonturbines, is regarded locally as the most im­
portant energy project of the last 50 years. The
first generating unit is scheduled to come on
stream in 2023, supplying power for the 16.7-hertz
grid used by Swiss Federal Railways (SBB)
to operate its trains, while the second will feed
power into the public 50-hertz grid. In addition, a60-megawatt storage pump will be installedin the plant. Together with the turbine, it will makea highly flexible contribution to rapid grid regulation and stabilization.
Due to the special significance of this power
plant, the operator Ritom SA stipulated that
all of the components had to meet the most stringent design requirements. Accordingly, Voith
created a comprehensive simulation model tocalculate the transient surge pressure for theentire range of electromechanical components thecompany would supply; in addition, corresponding analyses were carried out in advance.
Above all, Voith was able to make use of its
many years of model testing expertise, as thetechnology corporation has been operatinga research and development center for hydropower, the “Brunnenmühle,” at its headquarters
in Heidenheim since 1908. Here, the company has consolidated all its hydro expertise,giving engineers and customers the opportunity
to validate their specific developments on ahigh-performance test bed for all turbine types.
“Because Voith Hydro has consolidated
expert knowledge across multiple fields in one
place, we can pull together all the specialists
needed to solve a problem in the shortest possible time,” says Dr. Jörg Necker, Head of­Hydraulic Development, describing the extremely
powerful concept.
In the case of the new Ritom power plant, it
paid off. In three fully homologous model acceptance tests, the Voith experts were able todetermine, among other things, the efficiency,
maximum output and throughput speed, as wellas the hydraulic forces. The results confirmed
the guaranteed values: “Ritom is highly efficientand represents a milestone; this was anextremely demanding development process at
Brunnenmühle,” says Necker.
transform 27

44Demanding
Development
In three fully homologous model acceptance tests for the
new Swiss power plant Ritom, the Voith experts were able todetermine, among other things, the efficiency, maximum
capacity and throughput speed as well as the hydraulic forces.
The results confirmed the guaranteed values.

But the benefits of centralized research and development go far beyond
just optimizing efficiency. This is because the requirements new hydropower projects need to meet are also constantly increasing with respect
to other parameters. In China, for example, pressure fluctuations
are a major issue – and they can only be identified by means of numericalmodels in simulations with great effort, so measurements on the realmodel are often still preferred. “We are moving closer and closer to thelimits of what is physically achievable without reducing safety,” explains
the mechanical engineer, who holds a doctorate in engineering.
What can be achieved through the combination of centralized researchand development, a high-performance test bed, and links to international Voith teams in the customer’s respective region was impressively
demonstrated in another model acceptance test. At Brunnenmühle,Voith developed a runner with 15 blades for the Chinese power plant
Laxiwa 4 that covers a power range from 0 to 100 percent (equivalent to
0 to 711 megawatts). At the same time, it stands out thanks to its extremely low levels of mechanical stress and low hydraulic pressure fluctuations with excellent efficiency. Due to travel restrictions in place asa result of the pandemic, however, an acceptance process involving all of
the participants in Heidenheim was not an option. In collaboration with
their colleagues from Voith Hydro Shanghai, the R&D center’s employeesorganized a premiere; during the first online model acceptance process,they were able to demonstrate all of the hydraulic characteristics tothe customer, share measurement results and exchange documents withthe customer digitally. They had previously gained the necessary con­fidence on the part of the customer through high-quality test preparations
and transparent documentation, as well as live recordings at the test
bed. “The remote acceptance process went very smoothly,” Necker says.
28 transform

Ritom pumped storage plant
Voith is supplying two Pelton turbines, eachwith 60 megawatts, and a 60-megawatt
storage pump for the new construction project.

There is no question in his mind that Voith’scentralized approach to R&D with interdisciplinary
exchange also equips the company to meetthe ever-increasing demands placed on testing
technology: “We have an extremely large
analysis toolbox, for example, it includes laser ortransient operation.”

Snowy 2.0:
High-Precision
Measurements for the
MegaprojectNot only will Snowy 2.0 be one of the world’s largest
pumped-storage power plants, it will also play a majorrole in Australia’s energy revolution. Voith is supplying the pump turbines, among other components.
In line with the scale of the megaproject, the customer’s
acceptance test for the two runners designed tooperate in a variable-speed and fixed-speed unit wasalso extremely tough. In Heidenheim, the teammeasured extreme operating conditions as well as radial
forces, axial forces, pressure fluctuations and guidevane torques; cavitation was also observed. An online
briefing was held every morning with the client in­Australia, which was represented by European consultants on site. The acceptance process was completed
after five weeks. An independent laboratory confirmed the excellent conformity of the measurement
results, and the customer was fully satisfied that all of
its hydraulic requirements had been met.

hypower N° 33

hypower N° 33

reflect 29

29

37

Insights and Inside Views

Hydropower’s colossal dimensions are sometimes revealed on the road. This was
also the case in April 2021, when the widest transport in the history of Voith Hydro
Heidenheim left the factory premises: a fully assembled stator with a diameter of
8.2 meters and a weight of 105 tons destined for Töging am Inn in the German stateof Bavaria. The logistical effort was correspondingly complex. Because the stator
protruded 2.6 meters beyond each side of the heavy-duty convoy, which itself was
already three meters wide, traffic lights and traffic signs had to be dismantled along

On a Great
Journey

Page

8.2

m

Because of its diameter,
the stator spanned
several lanes of traffic.

was the weight of the stator alone,
and the heavy cargo weighed a total ofaround 170 tons.

105 t

the meticulously planned route, as did the signaling equipment in a tunnel. In addition, the heavy load had to make the 250-kilometer journey within one night because there was no suitable place to park along the route. At its destination, the convoy overcame the last obstacle, the steep descent to the generating station, via a
specially constructed access road. The stator is part of the first of three 55 MVA
generators that Voith is installing as part of a modernization project to increase energy production by 139 GWh at the almost 100-year-old power plant on the Inn river.

reflectWaterQuality
Lubricated exclusively withwater, compact
turbines like theStreamDiveremit no pollutants.

98%

Sustainable
ThroughandThrough
Focused research makes hydropower evenmore sustainable. With its com­prehensive
approach, Voith covers everythingfrom protecting fish to water quality andenergy efficiency.
Sustainability lies in the very nature of hydropower. But even in this sector, it can still be increased – through the development of turbineswith improved fish passage, for example. “Thedesign of the rotor blade naturally plays a majorrole in this regard,” says Ulli Stoltz, development
engineer at Voith Hydro. “This allows us to optimize the pressure patterns, shear forces andturbulence that affect fish as they swim throughthe turbine.” Voith has been specifically taking
environmental aspects into account when devel­
oping mechanical and electrical power plant
equipment for more than 50 years. Just recently,
Stoltz oversaw two research programs to develop
innovative concepts and methods to protect
30 reflectof fishpass through optimallydesigned hydropower
facilities.

fish: the EU project FITHydro, coordinated by
the Technical University of Munich, and the FINI
project led by the University of Innsbruck.
Within the scope of the FITHydro (Fishfriendly
Innovative Technologies for Hydropower)
project, 17 hydropower plants in eight European
countries were studied, including three Voith
plants, in order to improve the evaluation of fishprotection measures, among other objectives.
The re­searchers took a close look at methods andtechnologies and sent fish-like sensors throughthe systems, for example, to determine whatstresses the animals are exposed to in the process. In the FINI project (fish protection at low-­pressure power plants), numerical 3D simulations
and experiments were used to evaluate the effectiveness of bypass systems and turbines at arun-­of-river power plant as well as their effecton fish protection. By combining compact turbines with fish passage systems, low-costand low-main­tenance power plants can be builtthat have a low impact on the fish populationand thus river ecology. In addition, the Voith
StreamDiver compact turbine has water-lubricated bearings and therefore does not emit any
lubricant into the flowing water – an importantdetail, because even the smallest amounts of oil
can cause significant damage in sensitive hydrophilic ecosystems. Voith is incorporating theresults of this research into its development
processes. “Thanks to these projects, we canoffer concrete recommendations both whenretrofitting existing and building new hydropower
plants,” Stoltz explains.
Operators are also given the opportunity touse new assessment methods such as a fish
threat index for fish populations, analysis of fishpassage at the power plant, and software toplan their fish protection concepts. These andhypower N° 33

Fish
PassageInnovative assessment methods
take power plant
operation, fish
behavior and flow
simulation
data into account.
Optimized runnerdesigns reduce­collision-related fish
deaths.

Thanks to these research
projects, we can offer concrete
recommendations both whenretrofitting existing and building
new hydropower plants.

But the aspirations go far beyond that. Voith’scustomized HyCon automation solutions also
improve the sustainability of power plants by increasing their efficiency. This is achieved, forexample, via Kaplan optimization modules that
automatically correct small deviations in theinteraction between the guide vanes and the runner, allowing turbines to run even more productively. Water level control optimizes the operationof barrages and entire cascades. All in all, watercon­sumption can be reduced by up to 10 percent or, depending on the need, 10 percent moreenergy can be generated with the same amountof water.
This focus on sustainability is not an end in
itself. Further increasing environmental pro­tection standards and more stringent regulatoryre­quirements also demand a greater contribution from hydropower. Not only does Voith provide customers with the necessary technology,
but it also leads the way itself. The rating agency
ISS ESG has again awarded the company Prime
Status, placing it among the most sustainable
20 percent of the world’s machinery and plant
manufacturers.

Ulrich Stoltz
Development Engineer, Voith Hydroother analytical methods are also used to develop
new types of turbines with improved fish pro­tection, for example on the Columbia River andSnake River in the Northeastern United States.
In addition, there are innovative concepts such as
the Alden turbine, which operates with only threerotor blades and at a reduced speed, reducing
collision-related injuries to fish. In turn, the minimum gap runner turbines developed by Voith
use a completely spherical hub and periphery sothat the gap between the turbine runner andthe inner and outer contours remains constantover the entire blade length. This reduces mechanical injuries to fish, and the improved flow
quality also reduces the impact of shear forces
and turbulent flows on the animals. In addition,
the shape of the rotor blade can reduce pressurechanges and optimize the minimum pressurelevels for fish passing through the turbine. The
fact that these design ideas are effective in large-­
scale applications has already been demonstrated at a run-of-river power plant in Washington State. Here, researchers have been able
to demonstrate that more than 98 percent of the
fish pass through the system alive. Aerating
turbines, in turn, use the blades to oxygenate thewater, benefiting fish populations in the river’s
ecosystem.
hypower N° 33

10%less energy
is consumed by environmentally friendly
components from Voith Hydro, which at the same time
improve environmental protection.
reflect 31

isKnowledge(Hydro)Power
Jürgen Häckel
The world of hydropower is becoming more complex, moredigital and more international. Voith has developed the Hydro CEO Voith Hydro
Heidenheim
Development Program to secure existing knowledge
The engineer and trained
for the future and to systematically develop young talent.

Hydropower is more than just a high-tech means of generating energy. Hydropower is also the people who design andbuild it, maintain it and continuously make advancements toit. But while the demand for this sustainable form of elec­
tricity production is growing, the industry is simultaneously
threatened by an outflow of knowledge due to demographic
change. Experienced employees who enter retirement
cannot easily be replaced by younger ones. This “brain drain”
isn’t a problem exclusive to hydropower, but it demands
new solutions from this industry as well.
Voith recognized this development early on. Back in 2003,
the company set up the Management Trainee Program(MTP) to systematically foster young hydro talent. The objective was not only to expand their technical knowledge but
also for them to become familiar with the unique aspects ofthe global hydropower markets through their international
assignments, to work together with coworkers and customers
in the respective regions, and also to acquire intercultural
skills. Voith Hydro has continuously developed the programand its content since then. The MTP became what is now
the HDP, the Hydro Development Program. It provides participants selected according to performance and diversity
criteria as well as leadership potential with career prospects
in addition to qualifications, but it is not purely an HR development measure. “The program is focused on customer
benefits,” emphasizes Markus Mader, Chief Financial Officer
of Voith Hydro. “Each candidate goes through foreign assignments and works in sister companies, which broadens
their horizons to the maximum. This makes it much easier tounderstand the pain points of a consortium partner, thesales unit or even the holding company. And this helps themovercome challenges together even better.”
32 reflect

industrial mechanic got his
start at Voith completing
his final degree project at thecompany. With his wife andchildren in tow, he completed
lengthy assignments abroadin the USA and Sweden. In
his free time, he enjoys spending time with his family
and hiking in the mountains.

The program’s structure reflects its high degree of prac­
tical and customer relevance. The HDP is divided into three
training periods of six months each, at least one of whichmust be completed in a region other than the participant’s
home region. The content and business cases that the participant will work on during the program are defined during a
two-month planning phase beforehand. Each participant hasa mentor to provide support in professional or technicalmatters. In the 13 years that the HDP has been conductedto date, participants have worked on the development ofgenerator modernization options, improved collaboration ininternational project execution, and optimization of thebalance of plant and quality documentation. Development
meetings are scheduled between training segments to review the participants’ progress. The culmination of theirwork on the business scenarios is a final presentation of theresults. The location and audience underline the importanceof the program – participants present their results directly
to the Executive Board of Voith Hydro in Heidenheim. This isfollowed by the two-month final phase of the program.
What the HDP participants have acquired in terms of professional qualifications, market knowledge and contacts forms
the basis for their further careers at Hydro – and is alreadyextremely well developed.
hypower N° 33

reflect 33

Jennifer Stütz
Project Manager
Voith Hydro
The industrial engineer has
been with Voith since 2012 andhas worked as a bid project
manager for Voith Hydro since2015, having held this role forsome time in Montreal, Canada.
Outside of work, Jennifer
Stütz races in rallies, skis andalso spends her free time doing
Zumba, hiking and spendingtime with her dog.

The Hydro
Development
Programaims to continuallydevelop participants inthe directionof customer
centricity.
Harikumar Kathirvel
Vice President
Project Execution Voith Hydro

Like Jürgen Häckel, for example. The engineer was oneof the first participants in 2006. “I saw it as an excellent
opportunity to become familiar with Hydro locations aroundthe world, foreign countries and their cultures outside of
day-to-day business,” recalls the 47-year-old. “In addition, I
was able to explore new fields of activity relevant to hydropower and acquire professional knowledge that would help
me in my future tasks.” His assignments took him from hishome base in Heidenheim to York in the United States, SãoPaulo in Brazil and Noida in India. In the US, he gained insights into the hydraulic development and design of turbines,
and in Brazil he was involved in generator production. “That’s
where I acquired detailed knowledge that you can’t getworking purely in engineering,” Häckel notes. And he still benefits from this today. “All my experiences from the program

Harikumar Kathirvel
Vice President
Project Execution
Voith Hydro
34 reflect

The mechanical engineer has
worked for Voith for 21 years.
In his spare time, he enjoys
playing golf, woodworking andspending time on his model
railroad.

help me in my work every day, whether it’s the technicalknowledge, the personal contacts at the sites or the experience with different cultures – which turned out to be a hugebenefit,” says Häckel, now CEO of Voith Hydro Heidenheim.
Jennifer Stütz also emphasizes how the program expanded her expertise on many levels. When the current
project manager joined Voith in 2012 as part of her cooperative degree program in industrial engineering, she firsttrained in various departments at Voith Hydro. Participationin the Hydro Development Program was then another important step in her professional development, she says.
“I was particularly attracted to the opportunity to discover new
areas of Voith Hydro, to expand my network, and also tolook beyond the horizons of my own field of work for once,”
she says, describing her motivation.
Stütz cites the first stop on her HDP journey, Research& Development, as an example. Here she was trained in thehydraulic design of various types of turbines. “Up until then,I had only ever used the results from this department. Today,
I understand the process behind them and all the hard
work my colleagues do to select an ideal solution for customers that is tailored specifically to each power plant site.”
But the program expanded her expertise even beyond
that. In her second HDP stint, Stütz had the chance to workat Voith Hydro Shanghai in China, familiarizing herself withthe market situation in Asia and becoming familiar with thecultural differences firsthand. During her third assignment,
she led an R&D project team working on electric motors. Allof the skills she acquired benefit her today, says the 28-yearold. “The knowledge I gained from the theoretical training
sessions helps me deal with challenging situations. The personal connections and especially the technical background knowledge from the trainee program help me in mydaily decisions.”
This is an opinion shared by Stütz’s 45-year-old coworker
Harikumar Kathirvel. “The program helps you develop in
many different ways,” states the mechanical engineer. During
his HDP assignments in Brazil, North America and Germany,he had to prove himself in the sales and quotation department as well as in the modernization of a power plant unit andthe production of synchronous generators. In addition to
the technical aspects, he emphasizes the importance of cultural awareness, not least from the perspective of a globally
active technology group. Working shoulder to shoulder withpeople from other cultural backgrounds is becoming increasingly frequent and therefore more important, says thecurrent Vice President Project Execution at Voith Hydro.
That’s why the HDP’s structure with trainees working at various international locations is so important – both today
and even more so in the future.
“The focus is on the customer,” emphasizes Kathirvel.
“The Hydro Development Program aims to continually develop
participants in the direction of customer centricity andensures that we can deliver our sustainable technologies forgenerations to come.”

hypower N° 33

Markus Mader
CFO Voith Hydro
The industrial engineer has
been with the Voith Group since1999. After holding various
management positions in different divisions of the group, he
was appointed to the Executive
Board of Voith Hydro in 2018.
In this role, he is head of Financeand Human Resources,
among other duties. As the headof HR, he is simultaneously
in charge of the Hydro Development Program.

We need thebest employees
who havebeen broadly
trained andhave gained experience inmany areas.
HDP ­offers
talented employees theseopportunities.
Markus Mader
Chief Financial Officer
Voith Hydro

reflect 35

Out theof boxHydropower has a long
tradition in Canada – and sometimes
bears artistic fruit.

Canada’s
Hydropower
History

1881
Premiere
Canada’s firsthydraulic generator,
the Ottawa
Electric Light Co.
water wheel
at Chaudière Falls,
enters operation

1898
Built to Last
In southern Ontario,
DeCew Falls 1 isbuilt, now the oldest
continuously
operating hydropower plant in Canada.

1920

Mechanical and organicLong stems sprout from the Pelton turbine, with nozzles
adorning their tips instead of flowers.
36 reflect

Record High
More than
97 percent ofelectricity in
Canadais generated byhydropower.
hypower N° 33

Canadian
Water Art
1930
Superlative
Constructionof Beauharnois, thelargest run-of-river
power plant in
Canada, begins(completed in 1961).

1957
A fascinating object
As a roadside installation, the discarded Allis-Chalmers
turbine catches visitors’ interest.

The Pacific Ocean to the west, the Atlantic Ocean
to the east. And in between, Canada, the country with the largest freshwater body of water in theworld. It comes as little surprise that the wetelement plays a key role in life in this large North
American country whose motto is “From Sea
to Sea.” In fact, the importance of water here goes
far beyond its use in the context of basic services,fishing, shipping and sports. This is because
Canada began to tap into hydropower as early as
140 years ago. Amidst an abundance of re­newable energy sources available to the country
through its diverse geography, this method ofenergy generation continues to dominate today.
Six out of 10 Canadian businesses and households are powered by electricity generated by hydropower. As such, it is also an extremely im­
portant economic factor. “Hydropower creates
tremendous economic opportunities and provides
thousands of jobs in communities across thecountry,” Canada’s Minister of Natural Resources
Amarjeet Sohi put it succintly in 2019.
hypower N° 33

Technological Leap
The country’s
first pumped-storage
power plant,
Sir Adam Beck,begins operating at
Niagara Falls.

1981

But hydropower not only shapes the energy
supply and professional lives of many Canadians;
it also supports the development of remotecommunities in partnership with local Indigenous
peoples. And anyone who drives attentively
through the country will often find evidence of just
how strongly people identify with the most sustainable form of of energy generation – like in­Lillooet in the province of British Columbia. Located about four hours northeast of Vancouver,this small community has big things to show its
guests. Eye-catching metal sculptures placedalong the roadside capture the eye. Colorfully
painted and decorated, they only reveal what they
are at second glance: end-of-life hydroelectriccomponents. Lillooet transforms them into sculptures and proudly puts them on display. For example, an object that, in its first life, was an­Allis-Chalmers turbine. Manufactured in York,
Pennsylvania, in 1953, it now radiates from afar in
the colors of the regional utility company BC­Hydro. The main attraction is a Pelton runner complete with nozzles that virtually sprout out of it
as floral-­looking decorations on green metal tubes.
A symbol of the effect of renewable energy –and a proud reference to the nearby Bridge Riverpower plant.

Cavernous
The world’s largest
undergroundhydropower plant,
Robert-Bourassa, isbrought on stream.

1998
Partnership
The CanadianHydropower
Association (today:
Waterpower
Canada) is founded.

2019
Sustainability
Canada joins
the International Re­
newable Energy
Agency (IRENA).

A long history
Voith supplied turbines for power generation at
Niagara Falls way back in 1911.
reflect 37

The future
depends on
what we doin thepresent.
Mahatma Gandhi