hypowerby Voith Hydro — N° 31

10p.

Voith and AXPO on the
shape of things to comep.

20

A hydropower portrait ofIndonesiap.

32

HydroSchool: industry
training goes global

How hydropower is transforming one of the world’s largest archipelagos

Powering Indonesia

02 Editorial

Editorial

Content 03

Content
Zoom
04 	A new end corona protection
concept offers reliability androbustness

News

17

06 	Surface technology certification
milestones and hydropower
development in Africa

07

innovate	State-of-the-art robotics
Global demand for renewables is
growing; particularly in developing
markets, which have experienced
some of the largest shifts in clean energy investment. As a reliable, stableand proven technology, hydropower isideally positioned to deliver sustainable
solutions. Digitalization is also continuing its rapid evolution and creating
new possibilities. The current challenge
is how to determine which digitaldevelopments have a place in the
new renewable landscape – and why.
As an industry leader with a richhistory of technical expertise, Voith
Hydro has long been invested in
exploring these topics. This editionof HyPower offers insights into ourapproach, from state-of-the-art
platforms, forward-thinking collaborations, intelligent OnPerformance.Lab
solutions to the globalization of theHydroSchool training program. Also
in focus: how innovative Small Hydro
design has helped bring power toremote parts of Indonesia and Kenya.
Enjoy the issue!

08 	Simplified and unified
The new MyVoith platform
delivers a seamless online
experience
10	Shape of things to come
Voith Hydro’s CTO andforward-thinking client
AXPO discuss digitalizationand the future
14	Intelligent collaboration
Exciting digital development at
the OnPerformance.Labtransform
Introducing Emilie Lavoie

18 	On the move
What Voith Hydro’s charismatic
new CSO has in store
20	Hydropower in Indonesia
A journey through Indonesia
and the Voith Hydro projects
contributing to its renewableenergy mix

27

reflect
The IHA on sustainability

10Voith Hydro CTO and client AXPO on the key topics,
trends and developments shaping the industry

28 	A history of success
Reflecting on 40 yearsof effective teamwork
with KenGen
32	HydroSchool goes global
Cutting-edge industry training
with big plans in mind

18

35	Out of the box
The fascinating world ofphytoplankton – the rainforestof the ocean

Meet Voith
Hydro’s CSO

Facing industry transformation and exploring newopportunities – globally,
digitally and regionally

20

Uwe Wehnhardt
President & CEO, Voith Hydro
hypower N° 31

N° 31 hypower

How Voith Hydro’s innovative solutions
support renewable energy in Indonesia

35

The remarkableworld of phytoplankton

Zoom 05

Robust and reliableAs a key factor in stator winding reliability, robustness
is a critical consideration in stator bar design, particularly for
generator units within the 1,000 MVA class.
In developing its new end corona protection (ECP) concept,
Voith Hydro eliminated intermediate steps in the
manufacturing process by applying ECP tape over the groundwall, prior to vacuum pressure impregnation (VPI).
This simplification has not only reduced the risk of failures,
but also significantly improved the stator bar robustness inoperation, without hindering performance. As a result,the new stator bars deliver considerably higher winding reliability,
contributing to the greater availability and performanceof the entire power plant.

New end corona
protection concept
ECP tape is applied before VPI,
reducing the risk of failures andimproving robustness.

The new design balances multiple
thermal, insulation and economic
aspects to deliver optimal performancein operation.

Requirements of all relevantinternational standards and client test
specifications exceeded.

06 News

Section 07

News
A quick round-up

A world first
Voith Hydro in Heidenheim became
the first company in the world to meeta new international quality standard
in surface technology: the FROSIO-CP
Certification. Surface coatings andcorrosion protection for componentsthat come into contact with water
are crucial quality and safety factors
and important topics within thehydropower industry. In receiving
certificate number 0001 from FROSIO,
one of the world’s leading certification
bodies for surface treatments, Voith
has achieved an important milestone
and is now working with optimized
and externally certified knowledge ofthese technologies.
Compact and maintenance-friendly
The Small Hydro power plant, Storr Lochs, in Scotland iscelebrating more than a year of reliable operation after
undergoing an extensive modernization. As part of the
upgrade, completed at the end of 2017, Voith equippedthe 2 MW power plant with two turbine control units,
featuring a unique compact design. This was achievedby utilizing a servo-hydraulic linear-drive closed-loop differential pump (CLDP) concept developed by Voith Turbo– a Voith division specialized in power transmission. The
design, which does not require an additional accumulator or piping and can operate with a very low volume ofhydraulic fluid, offers easy installation and maintenance.
Further, because the units could be preassembled, implementation and commissioning efforts were reduced,
delivering significant savings.

Storr
Lochs
=
innovative
design2 MW Francis
turbine units
Low volume ofhydraulic fluid
allows forenvironmentallyfriendly, safe
operation.
Compact unit
concept based on
proven Voith Turbo
CLDP design
Water flow
regulated throughadjusting turbine
blades.

HyPoweris online!
Following the digital
30th edition of
HyPower, all of thearticles from yourfavorite hydropower
magazine are now
also available atwww.voith.com/
hypower31-stories

The latest from Africa
Voith has won the order for the extensive refurbishment and modernizationof the Nangbeto hydropower plant(65 MW), located on the Togo-Beninborder. The modernization work,
to be carried out during normal
operation, is to be completed in 2022.
Further south, more than 50 industry
representatives met for the inauguralZambian Small Hydro Summit, organized and hosted by Voith. Participants
welcomed the opportunity to discuss
Small Hydro potential, at a time when
Zambian authorities are collaboratingwith the GET FiT Zambia program
to create a framework for the development and implementation of Small
Hydro projects.

p. 07

innovate“Currently,
Nangbeto is the
only power
plant simultaneously supplying
Togo and Beninwith renewableenergy. We areproud to makethis plant fit
for the future.”

A closer look at the latest generationof technological innovations

Introducing Panda
Compact, white and sleek, Panda makes an immediate
impression. However, the robotic arm provided by Voith
Robotics (a joint venture between Voith and Franka Emika)
has much more to offer than just impeccable aesthetics.
Engineered to achieve sensitivity, agility, human-likedexterity and the ability to learn and master various andrepetitive tasks, it represents a new generation of out-ofthe-box robotic solutions. As a natural addition to Voith’s
automation competence, it is also a powerful proposition
for customers, across different industries, who are looking
for ready-to-use and affordable ways to optimize theirproduction processes and environments.

Heike Bergmann
Senior Vice President Sales Africa, Voith Hydro

hypower N° 31

p. 16

N° 31 hypower

08 innovate

innovate 09

The newly launched MyVoith
platform is simplifying,
unifying and optimizing
its digital services to provide
customers, partners andsuppliers with state-ofthe-art user experience andfunctionality.

Digitally
interconnected
Simplified
and unified
Harnessing the powerof digitalization, Voith
has brought its
digital applications,services and tools to one
central location –https://my.voith.com.
The brand-new MyVoith
platform, which will replace
the existing Voith customer
portals, consolidates thecompany’s digital services
behind a single login, todeliver a seamless,homogeneous and userfriendly experience.
“MyVoith is the next logicaland systematic step in our
digitalization strategy,”says Felix Holzer, Head of
E-Business Operations at

MyVoithdashboard
Voith. “It has the goal ofproviding innovative
solutions and improving
productivity through digital
services.” The platform
delivers powerful digitalcontent in a clean,
responsive design that canbe tailored to the specificneeds of users. In doing so,
Holzer says, it offers Voith
customers the perfectopportunity to exploit thepotential of digitalization indaily business operations.
At a time of rapid digital
evolution, MyVoith provides
a unified, simple andconvenient online
environment for theindustry of today andtomorrow.

OnCumulus

A single login grants
access to the MyVoith
dashboard, delivering aconsistent user experience
to all of Voith’s digital
services. Once signed in,users can personalize thearea, by selecting apps andtools, to suit their specificneeds. The clean, intuitive
design offers an overview
of features such as
messages, notifications
and a calendar, as well as arange of industry apps. Asa further benefit, theplatform has beendeveloped as a responsive
web application,compatible with a range ofsmart devices, to allow
easy use on the go.

N° 31 hypower

App ZoneThrough the App Zone,
registered MyVoith users
gain entry to a selectionof industry-specificapplications. Initially, users
will have access to 19
service applications fromdifferent Voith Group
Divisions. These will
include asset management
solutions, self-service
applications, Industrial
Internet of Things (IIoT)
solutions and webshops.
More apps will continue
to be developed and added
to MyVoith in reaction toindustry needs.

N° 31 hypower

Exploiting the full potentialof data, Voith has also
integrated its industryleading IIoT platform,
OnCumulus, into MyVoith.
The addition will allow
users to utilize the powerof value-driven data
intelligence to control
state-of-the-art IIoT
applications from theglobal platform. Whenusing OnCumulus, andacross MyVoith, customers
will also rely on the highest
industry standards inprivacy and security.

Contact
In order to provide accessto Voith specialists,
irrespective of time zone orregion, the MyVoith
platform will also serve asa central point of digitalcommunication. All digitalcontact with Voith,
including OnCall – Voith’s
24/7 hotline and remotediagnostic support – will beeasily available forcustomers who require
expert advice, assistanceor exclusive, personalized
information.

10 innovate

innovate 11

Big data, cyber security anddigital twins – Voith Hydro CTO,
Dr. Norbert Riedel, and Head of
AXPO’s Hydro Division, Jörg
Huwyler, sit down to discuss
digitalization and the future.

That digitalization
will define
the hydropowerindustry of
tomorrowis certain.
What shape it mighttake is not as clear.
Dr. Norbert Riedel
Chief Technical Officer at Voith Hydro

hypower N° 31

Jörg Huwyler
Head of Hydro at AXPO

Voith Hydro and Swiss energy company AXPO have joined forces to ask the
big questions and lead the industry toward a brave new digital world.
Why digitalize together?
Dr. Norbert Riedel: When we speak
about digitalization, we speak about
future opportunities for hydropower.
We don’t know all of the details yet,but we know that it is gaining momentum. Direct interaction and exchange isextremely important and for that weneed customers who want to join thejourney, like AXPO.
Jörg Huwyler: We have a great deal of
N° 31 hypower

curiosity: What does digitalization
mean? What potential does it hold andhow can we utilize it? When we started
these discussions, Voith was alreadyrelatively far into the topic. We wereconvinced by their ideas and wanted
to work with people who shared our
curiosity. We felt it was something we
could cultivate together.
How do you go from where
you are, to where you want to be?
Huwyler: This is exactly what we don’t
currently know. We are trialing things,
but we don’t have a precise definition ofwhat we want to achieve or how thefinalized process will look. That is the
project: to identify opportunities anddefine an approach.
Riedel: Digitalization brings entirely newexperiences; something a digital approach must consider while also addressing the needs of the workforce.
Through this process, we are trying tounderstand as many sides as possible,
to develop a solution that can react todifferent requirements, while nevertheless combining them in one digitalized
product.
Huwyler: An important aspect for us
are costs. If we are to invest in12 innovate

digital tools and solutions, we have toknow their value. To reach this goal,
we will spend 2019 exploring whichapproaches and propositions makesense. Only then can we make a decision about what we want to use, what
we don’t want to use and what needs
more development before we use it.
Workforce management applications are a certainty. Digitalization offers more streamlined and efficient processes, remote possibilities, better
networks and sophisticated communication channels. The rest, like asset
management and the powerplant itself,
leaves me a little skeptical about what
can be done and how useful it might
be. Ultimately, digitalization has to deliver tangible benefits.
Riedel: I’m very optimistic that we will
go further in the direction of a digital

innovate 13“We are trying
to understand as
many sides as
possible, todevelop a solutionthat can react
to different
requirements,
while neverthelesscombining themin one digitalized
product.”
Dr. Norbert Riedel
Chief Technical Officer at Voith Hydro

twin. We know how accurately we candraw on figures to develop projectionsof a plant’s immediate future, so this issomething that should work well.
Why is a digital twin socompelling?
Huwyler: Currently, we perform maintenance and regular inspections periodically. Digitalization delivers data tocompare and contrast and allows us todo calculations that come much closer
to determining risk. We want to develop this area so that we don’t have toopen the machine and – even if ananomaly is detected – have the intelligence to make an accurate judgment.
Riedel: The digital twin – a virtual replica of a physical asset – gives an appraisal of the present situation andoffers the possibility to play out different future scenarios. We just have tohypower N° 31

address operational planning considerations. Voith can develop the technicalside but AXPO holds the information
about how and why a power plantruns. Here, we are faster and more effective when exploring the topic andgathering feedback together.
What are the challenges?
Riedel: In the past we always delivered
products; if we built a turbine, we installed it and then carried out periodical service activities on site. When we
speak about a digital twin, we have toask: where would it be located? Another question: how much intelligence canbe local and how much should be centralized? The current trend is to connect local power plants to a cloud system for further analysis.
Huwyler: For me there are two elements of digitalization that we need toaddress. The first is the networking,
being made possible by modern technology. The second is big data, which
isn’t limited to power plants and requires intelligent evaluation. We didn’t
have these before, so we have to ask
questions we haven’t resolved yet.
Cyber security is also a big topic
that goes beyond hydropower plants.
There are some concerns about hackers and what a breach would meanbut, equally, introducing too many
restrictions could make working
difficult. Ultimately, some small risks
will remain, but I think we can find away to manage it.
Riedel: Cybersecurity is a top priority inall of our digitalization activities. When
we connect a power plant to a cloudsystem, for example, it can be donewith a data diode – a unidirectional
network that only allows communication from the plant to the cloud.
Let’s talk gadgets: which
fit into the new digital world?
Riedel: Some technologies, like tablets,
N° 31 hypower“We wereconvinced by theideas Voith had
and felt that thiswas a topic we
could cultivate
together. We
wanted to workwith people whoshared our digitalcuriosity.”
Jörg Huwyler
Head of Hydro at AXPO

offer opportunities to streamline processes and support the workforce.
Others do not. This is also a part of thejourney: to find out which could work.
For example, VR glasses could be
used to simulate an upcoming plant
activity or perform staff training. The
question is: is that useful?
Huwyler: From my perspective, VR
glasses could find a place in plant design optimization. Inside the plants, I
could really picture drones. One could
fly to a water catchment to identify an
obstruction and take pictures. I see
huge potential.
Riedel: Drones are a good example of
how plant owners and suppliers candefine the best use of new technology.
They are already in use, and I think wewill see increased applications in thenext three to five years. I can also see
robotics becoming more involved. A
typical characteristic of digital development is the bringing together of different perspectives and ideas to create
entirely new possibilities. Open dialogue and cooperation are imperative,
and this is working well with AXPO.
I’m really looking forward to trying out
the possibilities together. innovate 15

3.

1.

Automation and digitalization will continue to
evolve, with cost and competitive pressures further
driving the adoption of intelligent technologies.

Specialists
now
Diagnostic experts, data scientists,
developers, and technical- and salesfocused leadership teams support thejourney of each client.

COLLABORATINGONPERFORMANCEAs digitalization continues its onward march,
the OnPerformance.Lab unlocks thetrue potential of hydropower plant data.

“We’ve done our homework,
we did the research, and we now
have a much clearer understandingof what customers are after,” says
Dr. Paul Weber, Technical Lead
OnPerformance.Lab at Voith Hydro,
speaking about the collaborative
process helping to shape the exciting
new project. “We have customers

The future,
optimized

who are willing to direct us in what they
actually need. Now it’s on us to deliver.”Specialists now“Our OnPerformance.Lab team currently consists of full-time diagnostic
experts, data scientists, front- andback-end developers, and technicaland sales-focused professionals” says

Jörg Lochschmidt, Vice President
Digital Hydro and Manager of the
OnPerformance.Lab. The core team,which will continue to evolve, focuses
on four service layers: hydro expert
support, health assessments for Voith
core equipment, data analytics anddata security, which are backed byproducts such as OnCare.Acoustic,
hypower N° 31

2.

Tasks indevelopment

Maintenance andoverhaul planning
optimization
emerged as a key
area of interestand development.

A series of collaborations
between clients andthe OnPerformance.Lab
delivered important insights.

N° 31 hypower

OnCumulus Suite Apps, OnCare.Assetand OnCare.Health Hydro. “The new
digital service layers support the journey of our client. Independent of where
they are, we step in with our digital services and lift them to the next level,”
Lochschmidt says.
More than 40 customers are currently connected remotely, while six
power plants are connected online andstreaming data daily. “That means we
can see what the operator sees, takecontrol, and walk through the data andconfiguration to give in-depth guidance,”
Weber explains. Health assessments,
which take advantage of monitoring andcontrol system data, offer customers
a basis to reduce maintenance costs
through big optimization potential.
Advanced analytics, based on artificial
intelligence and mathematic models, arealso being used to perform predictions
and identify anomalies. “This will allow
us to better plan overhauls on a realconditions basis and detect failures early,” he says. “Our client will benefit not
only from reduced maintenance costs,
but also reduced standstill times.”
Tasks in development
Innovation takes collaboration. Knowing
this, Voith engaged its customers,
through a series of phone interviews
and workshops. Afterwards, the first clients agreed to take part in collaborative
pilot projects, which are still underway.
As part of these, Voith experts areworking with customers to analyze

16 innovate

Section 17

and interpret data
and refine the
OnPerformance.Lab
offering. A key
theme to haveemerged is theneed for maintenance and overhaul
planning optimization. Customers
expressed interest in
predictive capabilities for smart, targeted scheduling, tohelp avoid unnecessary stoppages andreduce costs.
“Hydropower plants are fully automatedalready, from an operation point of view,
but the maintenance part still happens
on a scheduled, knowledge basis,”
Lochschmidt explains. “Our customers
want to have more transparency,
especially when planning overhauls.
OnCare.Asset provides the basis to
manage the process. The question is
how to use data to create relevant recommendations. This is where we jump inwith the OnPerformance.Lab.”
Another critical area is data security.
“From the point of plant connectivity, thetechnology is there. The main concern isthat it’s not secure enough, so the majority of customers prefer a lightweight
step,” Weber explains. As such, refining
and automating the OnPerformance.Lab
web interface to enable easy data-set
upload has been an important part ofthe collaboration.

4.

Prognosis
on screen

OnCumulus
The platform
provides a securecontinuous
streaming andstorage data hub for
customers.

OnCare.HealthSensitive measuringsystems produce
data, such as
rotation speed,
power, water leveland gate opening,which is exchanged
with theOnPerformance.Lab
for analysis andinterpretation.

OnCare.Acoustic
The soundmonitoring system
continuously streams
acoustic data to
the OnCumulus
platform, wheremachine learningalgorithms alert the
OnPerfomance.Lab
team to anomalies.

OnCare.Asset
OnCare.Assetprovidesmaintenanceprocess control toensure the optimized
management ofmachines, plants
and processes
through advanced
systems andsolutions.

The future, optimized“In the first year we aim to have 20 power plants connected online, where we
perform health assessments and system
diagnosis on a continuous basis,”
Lochschmidt says, confident that automation and digitalization will continue
to flourish. He predicts that a combination of costs and competitive pressures
will drive adoption of more intelligent
technologies. hypower N° 31

p. 17

p. 26

transform

Insight into the people and technologies
shaping the future of hydropower

Engineering change
Inspired by Voith’s unique brand of innovation andefficiency, Emilie Lavoie followed the company all
the way from her home in Montreal, Canada, toHeidenheim, Germany. Now, as an active part of Voith
Hydro’s dynamic R&D department, she utilizes
her technical expertise to continue to ensure Voith’stechnology leadership. “In being a partof hydropower development, I like to play an active
part in transforming the world. I am just one
engineer in a bigger team, but together we canchange things for the better.”

Emilie Lavoie
Project Engineer, Voith Hydro

N° 31 hypower18 transform

transform 19

Pragmatic, result-driven andclient-oriented, Voith Hydro’s
charismatic new CSO is often
on the go. Without skipping a
step, he speaks about where
he came from and where he’splanning to take Voith Hydro.

In transit with
Markus Rieck
Favorite airport:
Singapore Changi

One item you can’t fly without:
Books

Traveling pet-peeve:
People with insane hand luggage

On the move

Window or aisle?
Aisle

with Markus
Rieck
What do airports, high-levelstrategy, marine engineering, businessacumen and kitesurfing have in common? Markus Rieck. Voith Hydro’s new
Chief Sales Officer, and the board
member responsible for market development and product management, hasa diverse set of skills that reflect theneeds of a rapidly changing industry.
“This is a fantastic time to be joining
Voith and driving exciting topics like
digitalization, while supporting and developing key growth markets such as
Southeast Asia and small hydropower,”
he says, easing back into a chair at
Munich’s Franz Josef Strauss Airport,
from which he will fly to his next customer visit. Rieck, who spends as muchas 60% to 70% of his time traveling, isdedicated to making himself available tocustomers all over the world.

Voith Hydro’s new CSO,
Markus Rieck, at Munich’s
Franz Josef Strauss Airport.

Although he spends most of his travel
time in Southeast Asia, a key growthmarket where face-to-face interaction isimportant for business, he remains connected to Europe. “The two markets arevery interesting,” he says. “Europe isgeared towards modernizing and optimizing existing plants, whereas emerging growth markets in Southeast Asia
present incredible opportunities forbrand-new project development.”
Luckily, an understanding of individual market needs and opportunities
underpins Rieck’s illustrious career. The
CSO, who holds a degree in naval andmarine engineering as well as businessadministration, has always maintained

Favorite pastime:
Kitesurfing“This is a fantastic
time to drive digital
initiatives, whiledeveloping key
growth markets.”

a balance between technical, managerial and financial aspects. His experience within the energy industry, particularly in the renewables sector, features
not only a range of roles at global companies, but also esteemed university,
government and official-body collaborations. “One of the skills I believe will
come in useful in this role, and secure
better results for our customers, is theorganization of financing for renewableenergy projects,” he says. “It’s a complex area and there are many highly
skilled people involved, in both the
public and private sectors.”
Traveling in the right direction
One of Rieck’s main responsibilities atVoith Hydro is to identify, prioritize andhypower N° 31

develop the most important industry
trends. As a technology enthusiast
who regularly conducts feedback
meetings with key account customers
using communication technologies, hedoes not hide his passion for further
digital development.
“We are working hard on innovations in the digital services space,” hesays. “Speed and efficiency are thebenefits we are applying to our digital
initiatives, like the remote analytics anddiagnostics in the OnPerformance.Lab
and the management concept,
OnCare.Asset. It’s a top priority for us
to develop products and services withwhich our customers can manage theirN° 31 hypowerhydropower plants more effectively –and cut costs at the same time.”
Growing industry interest in small
and medium hydropower as well as
hybrid renewable-energy projects arealso on Rieck’s radar. This is where
his experience with government
bodies, financiers and other nontechnical groups will undoubtedly proveinvaluable.
As the boarding call sounds andRieck prepares to continue his journey,
one thing is certain: he and Voith Hydro
are traveling in the right direction. 20 transform

transform 21

INDONESIA:A land of clean
energy potential

As one of the world’s largest
archipelagos, Indonesia hasenormous renewable potential,
but also faces considerable
geographical and administrative
challenges. In delivering
its innovative hydropower solutions,
Voith Hydro has illustrated
its commitment to the country’s
clean-energy sector.

Natural and urban, densely
populated and sparse, abundant in
rainfall but experiencing dry seasons,Indonesia presents an interesting paradox. It is home to some of the world’s
last uncontacted tribes and most remote locations, but also its mostpopulated islands. More than 80% of
the country’s current energy mix
comes from fossil fuels, yet it hasenormous clean-power potential andan ambitious renewable-energy targetof 23% by 2025.
Currently, Indonesia’s total power
generation is estimated to be 56.5 GW,
with renewables representing just 12%of the energy mix. However, according
to Abhishek Mehta, Country Manager
for Voith Hydro Indonesia, the Indonesian appetite for power is growing,with demand expected to increase by
6.42% per year, offering an opportunity
for renewables. “It is estimated that
there is currently about 8 GW of economically viable undevelopedhydropower potential,” he explains,
adding that the need to commercialize
inexpensive domestic power sources,
such as hydropower, is becoming key
for Indonesia’s economic development.

PusakaLandscapeAbundant rainfall
feeds the many
rivers in the Cianjur Regency.

hypower N° 31“By far the most inexpensive solution,in terms of costs per kWh of electricity
delivered, is hydropower, whichcurrently supplies 11% of the country’s
electricity each year,” he says. Eka
Satira, CEO of energy supplier PT
Medco Power, confirms thathydropower will be an important part ofIndonesia’s future energy mix. “Indonesia is blessed with lots of rivers thatcan provide renewable energy;hydropower will play a very big rolein the country,” he says.

Above: Densely
populated Indonesian cities,
like Jakarta, areexperiencing a
growth in energy
demand.
Below: Connecting remoteparts of Java to
the grid posesa challenge.

Supporting renewable development
Despite the potential, a host of barriers
stand in in the way of Indonesia’shydropower development. For one,the remote locations of many sites
pose technical and fiscal difficulties inconnecting to the national transmission
grid. “Obtaining financing for“Indonesia is
blessed with lotsof rivers that can
provide renewable energy.”
Eka Satira
CEO at PT Medco PowerN° 31 hypower22 transform

Pusaka 1
Seasonal changes in the qualityof water led toa modificationin unit design.

transform 23

capital-intensive projects, and administrative hurdles, can also be significant,”
adds Mehta, “with dozens of permits
and approvals required for the construction of a hydropower plant, whichis complicated by challenges in coordinating federal, regional, provincial andlocal authorities.”
In effect, while over 90% of Indonesia’s installed hydropower basecomprises large hydro, with projects inconstant development, Small Hydro is
an attractive and viable option – particularly where funding is concerned andinfrastructure already exists. According
to Mehta, Indonesia currently has as
many as 2,200 dams, primarily used
for flood control and irrigation, which

Indonesia’s
first
StreamDiver

1

Pusaka 1
Customer: PT Medco
Power, Indonesia
Location: Cianjur
Regency, West Java
Province, Indonesia
Units: 2 horizontal
Francis turbinesHead:
155.4 mOutput:2 x 4.4 MW
Project duration: 2013-18

In 2019, Java’s Small Hydro plant Serayu
is set to receive Indonesia’s first everStreamDiver. The compact, modular andhighly reliable design of the unit – six ofwhich will be incorporated into the existing
weir infrastructure – eliminated the needto create a diversion channel at the site,making it an attractive and fiscally viable
way for the plant to capitalize on its
hydropower potential.

“There is currently
about 8 GW of economically viable
undevelopedhydropower potential in Indonesia.”
Abhishek Mehta
Country Manager at Voith Hydro Indonesia

Above: two PT
Medco Power
staff operate thePusaka 1 systemprovided by Voith.
Below: Pusaka 1received two newhorizontal Francis
turbine units.

could lend themselves to Small Hydro
and Mini Hydro solutions – potential
Voith is helping to realize.
Voith’s first Indonesian project,
took place almost 100 years ago withthe delivery of turbines for the Ciiedil
Hydropower Plant (0.5 MW) in 1921 –a plant that is still generating electricity
today. More recently, Voith has been
involved in a range of activities, including the installation of Indonesia’s firstStreamDiver units (to be completed in2019) and three hydropower
projects that were commissioned
in 2018. “Indonesia is a growing
economy,” Mehta says. “Voith’s wide
range of customized systems andservices are perfectly suited to meetthe country’s growing demand
for a stable and reliable, efficientand clean source of power.”
Powering Pusaka
Lying 700 meters above sea level,surrounded by mountains, the Cianjur
Regency, on the Indonesian island ofJava, receives abundant rainfall. Located in its least densely populated
N° 31 hypower24 transform

2

Semangka
Customer: PT Tanggamus
Electric Power
Plant location: Tanggamus
Regency, Lampung
Province, Sumatra,Indonesia
Units: 2 vertical Francis
turbinestransform 25

Above:PT Tanggamus
Electric Power
staff walk throughthe Semangka
powerhouse.
Below:The Semangka
run-of-riverhydropower
plant as seenfrom above.

Head:
110.73 m
Output:2 x 28.3 MW
Project duration: 2014-18

southern part is Pusaka 1. In 2013
Voith was awarded the contract for thecomplete electromechanical equipmentof the Small Hydro plant, including
generators, automation technology,
all associated systems and two
horizontal Francis turbines, which
had to be adapted to suit the uniqueIndonesian climate.
“The original cooling water design
was an open-loop system,” explains
Cahyono Kusumo Aji, Deputy Manager
at Pusaka. “According to our team, thishad some drawbacks. During the rainyseason, the condition of the water is
not particularly good and would haveseriously affected our operations.” Incollaboration with Voith, the design
was changed to a closed-loop system.
“We monitor the water quality, and theunit is not reliant on whether it is thedry or wet season; there’s always
good-quality water available,” he says.
The mechanical installation of theturbine began in late 2017 and, after
comprehensive commissioning andreliability tests, Pusaka 1 went into
commercial operation in May 2018.
Success in Semangka
On the opposite side of the country, in
the Tanggamus Regency on Sumatra –the largest island entirely located inIndonesia – another Voith Small Hydro
project was commissioned. Voith
equipped the run-of-river Semangka
Hydropower Plant with two new
generating units, comprising vertical
Francis turbines. “Voith Hydro has
extensive experience in hydropower,
that’s why we chose them as our provider from water-to-wire,” says Fahmi
Shalas, Operation Manager at PT
Tanggamus Electric Power, speaking
about the project, which went into

hypower N° 31“Voith’s wide
range of customized systems andservices are perfectly suited tomeet the country’s growing demand for a stable
and reliable, efficient and cleansource of power.”
Abhishek Mehta
Country Manager at Voith Hydro Indonesia

commercial operation in the second
half of 2018.
“Our Semangka hydroelectric
power plant is supplying high-quality
electricity without interruption,” says
Yoo Sung Jong, President Director of
PT Tanggamus Electric Power. With a
total output of 56.6 MW, Semangka
is contributing to reliable, stable
and clean electricity and bringing
Indonesia a step closer to meeting
its renewable-energy targets.
Small Hydro solutions forbig challenges
In the northern part of Sumatra,in the highlands of the Simalungun
Regency, where rubber, cacao

SumatraLandscapeThe area near
Karai boasts
tropical forestsand complex
river systems.

27 Section
26
transform

Giving hope: a Semangka school project
The Francis turbines of the
Semangka hydropower plant were
not the only object in the area tobe modernized. As part of acorporate social responsibility
initiative, dubbed “Asa” (theIndonesian word for “hope”), Voith
also turned its attention to the
local Printis School – the only
source of education for children
in the area.
The school, located in Umbul Seno
village, seven kilometers fromthe Semangka powerhouse andand tea plantations dominate, the Karai
Hydropower Plant was experiencing ahost of problems. Both Francis units of
the Small Hydro plant faced erosion
and cavitation issues, a reduced power
output, and heavy leakage through theshaft seal. “We had a problem with affordability, which drew us to modernize
our plant to a better quality of product,” says Mohammad Riza Husni,
President Director at Bumi Investco
Energi, parent company of PT Global
Hidro Energi. “We wanted to work with
Voith because of its turbine and generator expertise.”Voith used its HyService solutions
to replace the runner, minimizing cavitation and erosion, while also replacing
the complete distributor assembly andthrust relief pipes, and delivering a new
shaft seal design. A special coating
was also applied to turbine parts. The
modernization, which commenced inlate 2016 and was completed in mid2018, secured a 25% increase in revenue. “I’m very satisfied with the service
and hope to work with Voith on future
projects,” Riza says.

attended by 22 students, aged
seven to nine, was ill equipped
and lacked basic infrastructure.
Through the Asa initiative, Voith
provided new tables and chairs forthe teacher and children, as well
as a large wooden cabinet forbooks and supplies. The initiative
created a bond between Voith
personnel and the local
community, strengthening
collaboration on the Semangkahydropower project.

Also seeking solutions, albeit to a
problem of another nature, was Serayu. The site, located in the Nanyumas
Regency in central Java, faced spatial
and financial limitations in the development of its hydropower potential.
By utilizing the modular design of its
StreamDiver unit, Voith was able to use
the existing Serayu weir infrastructure
without compromising functionality,
to drastically reduce civil efforts and3costs. “The StreamDiver is a complete
submerged turbine, which means theentire unit, including the generator,
operates under water. This opens up
many new possibilities – something
we could capitalize on in Serayu,” says
Stefan Reich, Voith Hydro Business
Development Manager, adding that six
StreamDiver units, with a combined
output of 4.5 MW, will be installed at
the site by the end of 2019.

4

Karai 13

SerayuCustomer: PT Global
Hidro Energi
Plant location: Kariahan
Usang Village, Simalungun
Regency, North Sumatra
Units: 2 Francis turbines

Customer: PT Daya
Mulia Turangga
Plant location: Banyumas
Regency, Central Java
Province, Indonesia
Units: 6 StreamDiver units

Head:
155.65 m
Output:2 x 4.44 MW
Project duration: 2016-18

Head:
7.57 mOutput:6 x 762.7 kW
Project duration: 2018-19
www.hydropower.org
nextlevel
hypowerN° 02.2018
N° 31

28 Section

19
52

PARTNERSHIP
in action

An extensive
modernization of the
Wanjii Small Hydro plantis the latest milestone ina rich 40-year partnership
between Kenya’s largest
electricity producer andVoith Hydro.
The inclined elevator is loaded
and ready to traverse the steep damof the Wanjii Reservoir. The Small Hydro
plant located on the Maragua River in
Murang’a County, Kenya, is receiving
an extensive modernization after beingin operation for more than 60 years.
The structural conditions are such that
all components have to be transported
in this unconventional way. Voith isleading the project, which involves thereplacement of the plant’s turbines,
generators, control technology andelectromechanical equipment and will
see the plant achieve an output
approximately 20% higher than before.
Luckily, in undertaking the challenging project, Voith holds three main
advantages: a longstanding history oftechnical expertise, the original 1952
Wanjii plans, and a 40-year partnership

19
54

reflect 29

Wanjii on grid
Small hydropower plant Wanjii
Power Plant machines, suppliedby Morgan Smith, is transferred
into commercial operation.

with the owner, Kenya’s largest
electricity producer, Kenya Electricity
Generating Company (KenGen).

KenGenfoundedKenya Power Company, which would later
become the Kenya Electricity Generating
Company (KenGen), is founded.

19
75

The butterfly
valve installedahead of theturbine, atGitaru (1977).

GitaruawardedThe spillway structure at
Gitaru viewed from thedownstream side (1978).

N° 31 hypower

Voith, in consortium with Siemens,
is awarded the Gitaru contract todesign, deliver and erect two
Francis turbines, including
governors, butterfly valves,
hydraulic steel structure andengineering equipment.

Forty years of cooperation
Long before tackling the extensive
Wanjii modernization, Voith caught
the attention of KenGen at the Gitaru
Power Station, where it erected two
Francis turbines in the late 1970s.
“I was impressed by the machines at
Gitaru. They were very reliable andmodern and ran for long
periods,” recalls Richard Nderitu
Mwangi, who was Operations
Director at KenGen until 2016.
“The standard of engineering
was excellent and dependable.”
Following the 1978 completion of the project, Voith continued to support the site. Having secured trust with KenGen, in 1998 thecompany was commissioned to erecta third, 84 MW, Francis turbine in Gitaru. This was swiftly succeeded by the
installation of 10 digital governors at
the Gitaru, Kamburu, Kindaruma andKimambere hydropower plants. When
three additional plants within the Seven
Forks Scheme required modernizing in
2008, KenGen once again contracted
Voith for the works. As a result, theKimambere Power Station had its output increased from 144 MW to 168 MW.
Wanjii is the latest milestone in thelong-lasting partnership. Once completed, the Small Hydro plant will boast
state-of-the-art electromechanicalequipment and a remote control

30 reflect

19981999“Trust is thebasis of goodcommunication.”

Governance
units

Voith installs a total of 10 digital
governors: three at the Kamburu andGitaru hydropower plants, and two at
the Kindaruma and Kimambere facilities.
Voith completes the modernization at
Kimambere, increasing the output from
144 MW to 168 MW.

Gitaruextension
Voith, in consortium with
Siemens, completes theextension of Gitaru Machine
Number 3 (84 MW).

20
18

Markus Kaufmann
Sales Manager at Voith Hydrosystem which can be regulated from
KenGen’s Nairobi headquarters,
placing Wanjii among the most modern
plants of its kind.
The secret to longevity“Trust is the basis of good communication,” says Markus Kaufmann, SalesManager at Voith Hydro, speaking
about the key to maintaining a solid
partnership across time and continents. “KenGen feels like family. We
trust and respect each other.”
Mwangi agrees that trust, communication and strong, cordial personalties have seen the partnership thrive.
In the years between projects, Voith
conducted frequent plant visits and trainings to ensure
a constant presence andcontinuous support.
“Because we are notpersonally on site, it isimportant that either
our agents or our East
Africa Hub stay in contact.
We are good at listening,

20032008

Gitaru commissioned

HYDRO
2018
Voith and KenGen buildon their cordial partnershipat the HYDRO 2018conference in Gdansk,
Poland.

In March the Tana River is impounded. Four months
later, Machine Number 1 is transferred into
commercial operation. In September, Machine Number
2 is transferred into commercial operation at Gitaru.

A part of theturbine shaft at
Gitaru (1977).

19
7820182019

19
77

Wanjiimodernized
Voith completes an extensive
modernization of the smallhydropower plant Wanjii, delivering
new turbines, generators, control
technology and electromechanicalequipment. As a result, the totalenergy output of the Wanjii facility is
increased by approximately 20%.

Gitarubegins
The erection of Gitaru
starts with the spiral case,wheel operating ring,connecting components
and turbine cover.

Voith and KenGen meet atthe HYDRO 2018 conferencein Gdansk, Poland.

hypower N° 31

reflect 31

understand customer needs andchallenges, and offer solutions,”
Kaufmann says. This, according to
Mwangi, established Voith as a trusted
partner. “Good working relations meanthat both companies reap rewards andit’s a win-win situation – never the winner takes it all,” he says.
Hydropower for Kenya
As Kenya’s largest electricity producer,
KenGen is responsible for 67% of thenation’s total energy supply – animpressive 1,631 MW of 2,431 MW.
It is also the owner of all 21 of thecountry’s hydropower plants, which
represent the largest part (roughly
860 MW) of the total energy production.
Thanks to 40 years of collaboration
with KenGen, Voith machines currently
produce almost 30% of this total.
However, according to Mwangi,
even more potential exists. Recent
estimates suggest that as much as
120 MW could be gained by modernizing existing schemes, such as theGitaru Power Station, which Mwangi
says is ripe for an upgrade. “Voith caneasily communicate the advantagesof upgrades,” he adds, “especially ata time when the country is grapplingwith the integration of intermittent
renewable power from wind and solar.
Hydropower will play a big part inensuring reliability of the system.”Moreover, he says, Kenya has
many remote and mountainous
regions, which would benefit from adecentralized power supply. Wanjii,
which lies some 80 kilometers northeast of Nairobi, is just one example of
how local communities can be supported by sustainable hydropower
solutions. “KenGen and Voith will continue working together,” he concludes,
confirming that the past 40 years are
just the beginning of this partnership. 32 reflectreflect 33

Spreadingknowledge,
worldwide
Voith HydroSchoolis paving the way for anew, knowledge-based
future for customers –with the whole worldin its sights.

Generational change and international knowledge fragmentation,
at a time of rapid technological innovation, mean that the proper training ofstaff has never been more important.
In setting up HydroSchool, Voith
brought its industry expertise to thehydropower knowledge economy.
Now, to help further elevate andstandardize the industry, it has set
its sights firmly on globalization.
Knowledge is industry power
Demand for maintenance training, tobetter understand Voith products
following delivery, formed the roots ofHydroSchool in 2014. The success ofthe trainings revealed a need and drove
Voith to utilize its industry knowledge
to cover other subject areas. The goal?

Dedicated training
Topics: Hydropower Plants, Turbines,
Generator, Automation & Control, Governor
Focus: a range of topics across operation,
modernization, safety and design
Number of course units: 19
Locations: Brazil, Canada, India,
Germany or individually on site

Public courses
Topics: Hydropower Plants, Turbines,
Generators, Balance of Plants
Focus: introduction and fundamentals
Number of public courses: 13
Locations: Brazil, Canada,South Africa, Germany

Training programs
INGULA PUMPED STORAGE PLANT,SOUTH AFRICA
The largest HydroSchool training programfor hydropower plant operators
Customer: Eskom
Focus: plant operation and maintenance
Number of course units: 17
Total number of participants: 100
VOITH TRAINING CENTER, GERMANY
Two-week training focusing on the
rehabilitation of Polpitiya (Samanala)
Customer: Ceylon Electricity Board
Focus: Rehabilitation of Turbines,
Generators, Main Inlet Valves
Number of course units: 3
Total number of participants: 12

CanadaGermany

Staff from Mozambique’sCahora Bassa hydropower
plant undergoing training
in Heidenheim, Germany.

“To deliver training solutions for allhydro-related topics and bridge the gap
between technology and industry experience,” says Sabrina Deininger,
Customer Training Product Manager atVoith Hydro, adding that it also offers an
opportunity to identify customer needs
and foster closer working relationships.
HydroSchool includes three typesof training: public courses – industry
fundamentals open to the general public – and two customized options, tailored to the specific needs of each customer. The first of these are dedicatedtraining courses that can combine theoretical and practical components; thesecond are training programs that can
incorporate apprenticeships and expert
mentoring. As such, HydroSchool wasa natural fit for HyService and has become a key part of the branch. By accommodating a range of professionals,
from engineers to maintenance and repair specialists, technical personnel andmembers of management, HydroSchool
offers customers the opportunity toidentify, expand and fully utilize theirteam’s resources. “We help attendees
to understand the machinery they’reworking with,” explains Christian
hypower N° 31

BrazilSouth Africa

Fuhrmann, Head of Electrical Support
at Voith Hydro and HydroSchool trainer.
“They go home and see the machine
more clearly, with different eyes than
before, which improves their ability tocreate efficiencies.”
Going global
Although still in its infancy, to dateHydroSchool has offered 140 courses
to 150 companies and engaged 1,300
participants from as far afield as Africa,
South America and Europe – and it isstill evolving. Currently, courses arebeing standardized, meaning students
will receive the same level of high-quality training wherever in the world theyattend. “In the near future we want to
N° 31 hypower

HydroSchool to date:
140 courses
150 companies
1300 participants

Learn more about HydroSchool trainings at
www.voith.com/hypower31-HydroSchool

offer standardized courses for eachhydropower plant product, worldwide,”says Deininger. “We have established aCenter of Competence in Heidenheim
to structure and organize training globally. We started to bundle our training
knowledge to get more exchange andto become more efficient in content
and organization.” As a first step toward this goal, HydroSchool has expanded its horizons to the UnitedStates, India and parts of Asia, where
customers will soon be able to takeadvantage of on-site trainings at local
Voith Hydro production sites.
A global focus also means training
content is under constant development.
“We’re seeing more and more interest
in digitalization in hydropower plants,”
says Deininger, “so digital modules arealways included in trainings, and wework with expert Voith digital trainers
to cover the future approaches at

34 reflect

Sectionreflect 35

Phytoplankton

Individual courses take place at Voith centers well as on site.

Sri Lankahydropower plants,
including sensor technology of better automation services.”
Innovative digitaltraining tools like online eLearnings, simulations, and virtualand augmented reality are also being
explored. Even established courses are
evolving in response to international
insights. “We always get new viewpoints, even when discussing the same
topics. This helps us to shape ourseminars,” Fuhrmann explains. “If we
get good customer input, we include it.”HydroSchool knows that progressstands still for nobody, and it is set tomake its mark on the map, globally.

“Behind every great
training, there’s agreat Voith team.”
Christian Fuhrmann
Head of Electrical Support at Voith Hydro and trainer ofgenerator basics and maintenance at HydroSchool
Making the intangible, tangible “The concepts
we teach are complex. We speak about things
which our senses cannot perceive,” says
Christian Fuhrmann, Head of Electrical Support
at Voith Hydro and trainer of generator basics
and maintenance at HydroSchool. One of
HydroSchool’s strengths, and a large part of its
success, he adds, is its accessibility to a rangeof participants. “We avoid using too many mathematical formulas and try to explain concepts in a visual way,” hesays. “And our approach seems to work really well.” However, finding
ways to make abstract media, such as magnetic flux, tangible
requires a lot of work – from the building of models for participants totouch, to the performance of calculations, to organizational tasks.
“A single trainer couldn’t do it alone,” Fuhrmann says, “so I’m very
thankful to have the support of the whole company.”Outof theBox
The world’s oceans are
teeming with life – anddata. Mercator Ocean
International, a nonprofit
oceanography company,
collects, evaluates andinterprets the latterto protect the former.
We spoke to its
oceanographer,
Dr. Coralie Perruche,
to learn more about
the microscopic
phytoplankton.

IMPRINT hypower N°31 – 2019
Publisher: Voith GmbH & Co. KGaA, St. Pöltener Str. 43, 89522 Heidenheim, Germany Responsible for thecontent: Kristine Adams Editor-in-chief: Susanne Speiser Editorial Board: Kathrin Röck, Deborah Fischer
In cooperation with: C3 Creative Code and Content GmbH, Heiligegeistkirchplatz 1, 10178 Berlin, Germany.
www.c3.co Business Director: Klaus-Peter Hilger Editors & Authors: Liz Fletcher (freelance), Leonie Schaumann(freelance), Agnes Stockburger (responsible) Freelance Copy Editor: Asa Tomash Senior Managing Editor:
Christa Krick Design: Michael Helble (Creative Director), Petra Varel (freelance) Photo Editors: Elke Latinovic,
Katjana Frisch (freelance) Printer: C. Maurer GmbH & Co. KG, Schubartstraße 21, 73312 Geislingen/Steige
Copyright: No part of this publication may be copied, reproduced or otherwise disseminated, nor may any of thecontent in it be used in part or in whole in other works in any form whatsoever, without express written permission of
the editor. Photos: Cover: Visoot Uthairam/EyeEm/Getty Images; p. 4: C3 Visual Lab; p. 7: Dawin Meckel/Ostkreuz;
p. 8: Peter Riedel; p. 10–13: Christian Grund; p. 14–16: Liv Engel; p. 17–19: Dominik Gigler; p. 20–25: Rüdiger
Nehmzow; p. 32–34: Fotolia; p. 35: Bridgeman Images; all other photos are from Voith.

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Your feedback: if you have any comments or questions on
this issue of hypower, please contact us: hypower@voith.com
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hypower N° 31

N° 31 hypower

What are phytoplankton, and what’s their connection towater? Phytoplankton are microscopic, single-celled, ocean-dwelling
algae that get transported by the ocean’s currents. What makes them
particularly fascinating is their astounding biodiversity – there arethousands of species, each with its own unique role in the ecosystem.
Much like plants, phytoplankton contain chlorophyll, a green pigmentthat allows them to absorb energy from light. They transform lightenergy and mineral compounds into organic compounds and releaseoxygen through a process of photosynthesis.
They’re often described as the rainforest of the ocean.
Why? As autotrophs, organisms that produce complex organic
compounds from simple substances, they have the same function
as rainforests. They absorb CO2 from the atmosphere and releaseoxygen in return. As oceans cover more than 70% of the Earth’s
surface, they have a large influence.
What can they tell us about our planet? Phytoplankton
provide about half of the world’s oxygen and are crucial to the Earth’s
carbon cycle. In order to grow, they use sunlight, CO2 and nutrients.
When they die, they sink to the bottom of the ocean, trapping carbon
there for thousands of years. This process, known as the organic carbon
pump, stores a significant part of human-induced CO2 in the ocean.
However, it comes at a price: the acidification of the ocean. Monitoring
phytoplankton distribution with Earth observation satellites – such as
those of the EU Copernicus Marine Service – helps us to better manage
marine resources and predict climate change. Innovation:
imagine the future andfill in the gaps.
Brian Halligan