by Voith Hydro — N° 29.201712p.

Unlocking Small
Hydro potential with
the StreamDiverp.

20

150 years of Voith
innovationp.

40

The rise of hybrid power
generation concepts

A celebration of hydropower innovation:
How exciting new ideas continue to shape our industry

Inspiring future
generations

02 Editorial

Editorial

Simulating turbine
operation with CFD

Content
Zoom

17

04 Reducing pollution risks with
self-lubricating machineryNews
06 Facilitating fish passage
through turbines

07

Content 03

08transform
Introducing Inna Kremza

18 Breaking ground in Canada
The new Site C hydropower
station on the Peace River20 150 years of Voith Hydro
How Voith Hydro has grown into
an industry leader since 1867

innovate
The Generator Lab, Hanover

08 Recreating reality
How simulation smooths plant
operation from the start
Few businesses can look back on 150
years of growth, groundbreaking projects and successful customer relationships on a global scale. Fewer still canlook forward to the future with confidence, in a rapidly changing world.
This edition of HyPower has one
foot in the fascinating past of Voith
Hydro’s journey with its customers overthe last century and a half. But the other is firmly in the future, facing forward
to the new technologies and trends
that will shape the evolution of our industry in the coming decades. Thatmeans, for example: hybrid plants thatcombine water and wind power to create exciting new opportunities for clean
energy storage and generation; stateof-the-art pumped storage facilities;
acoustic plant monitoring; and Small
Hydro turbines that minimize environmental disruption.
Here’s to the next 150 years of hydropower innovation – enjoy the issue!

Uwe Wehnhardt
President and CEO, Voith Hydro

26 The change challenge
The evolving role of the IHA

29
12 Small Hydro innovation
Unlocking hydropower potential
with the StreamDiver
14 Strategic perspectives
Voith Hydro’s CEO and CTO
discuss how innovation shapes
Voith’s businessreflect
Acoustic plant monitoring

30 Expansion at Reisseck
Efficient, sustainable energy
generation in the Alps
34 Always-on service
HyService Centers rollout

12

How the compact StreamDiver turbine opens up Small
Hydro opportunities

36 Frades II
Pumped storage in Portugal
40 Stronger together
New hybrid energy solutions
Celebrating theevolution ofhydropower, while
pioneering its future

43 Water in the universe
Where it is, how it forms, andwhat it means

ImpRINT publisher: Voith GmbH & Co. KGaA, St. Pöltener Str. 43, 89522 Heidenheim, Germany Responsible
for the content: Kristine Adams Editor-in-chief: Gudrun Köpf Editorial Board: Christina Garre, Elke Kleinknecht,
Susanne Speiser In cooperation with: C3 Creative Code and Content GmbH, Heiligegeistkirchplatz 1, 10178 Berlin,
Germany. www.c3.co Content Director: Klaus-Peter Hilger Editors & Authors: Liz Fletcher (freelance), Hamish
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management: Christa Krick Design: Michael Helble (Art Director), Regina Fichtner (Senior Graphic Designer)
photo Editor: Julia Fell 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 permissionof the editor. photos: Cover: Alfons Hauke/Getty Images, p. 2, 9, 10, 15, 40, 42: Thomas Dashuber, p. 4, 21– 24,
32, 33, 41: C3 Visual Lab, p. 7: Jan Walford, p. 17: Michelle Gibson, p. 27: Claudia Meitert, p. 34: Paulo Vitale/
Kromo, p. 36 – 38: Telmo Banha, p. 39: Rüdiger Nehmzow, p. 43: ESA/DLR/FU Berlin (G. Neukum). All other photos
are from Voith.
Your feedback: If you have any comments or questions on this issueof HyPower, please contact us: hypower@voith.com;
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hypower N° 29.2017

N° 29.2017 hypower

The Reisseck II plant in Austria
is a showcase for state-of-the-art
pumped storage technology

20

How Voith Hydro’s technology
and business has evolved overthe last 150 years

04 Section

Zoom 05

Oil-freeperformance

Self-lubricating bush bearings

Ordinarily, adjustable blade runner hubs within
Kaplan turbines are filled with oil to lubricate thebearings and the sliding parts of the operating
mechanism. However, Voith has also been developing oil-free alternatives for over 30 years.
In the oil-free hub, the oil is replaced by selflubricating bush bearings that eliminate the risk ofoil leakage, maximizing environmental protection
and simplifying maintenance, withoutcompromising on performance.

1985

The year Voith began developing andinstalling oil-free solutions for Kaplan
turbine runner hubs.

The self-lubricating bush bearings are located throughout
the runner hub at, for example,
the lower end of the turbine.

hypower N° 29.2017

N° 29.2017 hypower

06 News

News
A quick round-up

Adding automation with minimum outage
The key advantage enabled by pumped storage
plants is reliable power generation. That is why
it is so important for Belgian energy supplier
ENGIE Electrabel to keep its six-machine CooTrois-Ponts plant running during the installationof new automation technology, supplied byVoith. “We have arranged to do this by shutting
down one machine at a time for a period of
about eight weeks,” says Jürgen Häckel, Headof Service at Voith Hydro Germany. And thecustomer is delighted with the benefits it willbring: “The new automation technology … will
guarantee safe, reliable and economic power
plant operation for at least another 20 years,”
explains Luc François, Project Manager at
ENGIE Electrabel.

Section 7“I believe
Ice Harbor
represents
the next step
Protection
in turbine=
Intention+technology
Designfor improved
fish passage.”
Protection of fishstocks is acustomer priority

Investigation
into the possibilities

Collaboration
to identify the bestsolution

114
Miyashiro No. 1

The number of years theVoith turbine at Japan’s
oldest hydropower plant
has been running.

Jason Foust,Hydraulic Engineer, Voith

Executionof the best tech for
improved fishpassage

2020
The year
all threereplacement
turbines
will be inoperation.

Turbine design for improved fish passage
Reducing the chance of injury to fish as theymigrate downstream through hydropower facilities is an important issue on the Snake River in
Washington State, United States. So, when theturbines at the Ice Harbor Lock and Dam needed to be replaced, this was the perfect opportunity to install machines designed to improvefish passage conditions. The design team, consisting of engineers, biologists and stakeholders, worked hard through many iterations ofturbine design and testing to identify areas forfish passage improvement, including modifications to the turbine geometry that help minimize
the injury rates of juvenile fish.
Jason Foust, Hydraulic Engineer on the Ice
Harbor project, concludes: “I believe Ice Harbor
represents the next step in turbine technology
for improved fish passage. This concept andthe resulting design process can contribute
successfully to fish passage protection at hydropower sites around the world.”
hypower N° 29.2017

p. 07

p. 16

innovate

A closer look at how the next generation ofhydropower technology is evolving

All-new generator lab
While Voith strives to increase product value through strategic R & D, the new generator-laboratory machine validates“beyond the edge” hydro generator simulation models
and innovative designs. Since July 2016, the sensorrich machine has been operating in the new GeneratorConverter Laboratory at Leibniz University in Hanover, Germany. It offers unrivaled opportunities to study the physicaleffects of normal, intentionally faulty and extreme operating conditions. The result: a thoroughly tested
foundation for creating advanced hydroelectric solutions.

N° 29.2017 hypower

08 innovate

innovate 09

R E C RE A T IN G

Dr. Roland Jester-Zürker, Headof Fluid Mechanics at Voith Hydro,
explains how Voith experts are
utilizing computational fluid
dynamics to better understandand improve the operational
efficiency of hydropower turbinesand generators.

R E A LI T Y
hypower N° 29.2017

State-of-the art
simulation technology
is allowing Voith
experts to improvetheir understandingof how hydropowermachinery behaves indifferent operational
conditions.

N° 29.2017 hypowerinnovate 11

operation or the stresses placed on components due tothe pressure of fluid flow. Being able to carry out detailed,accurate analyses on the computer has also led to a major
reduction in physical model testing, which reduces design
lead time and makes the process faster and more costeffective for our customers.
Are physical model tests still important?
Absolutely. Validating numerical results of challenging flow
regimes like off-design condition is crucial to achieve the required prediction accuracy. We work closely with our colleagues in the hydraulic lab at the Brunnenmühle researchand development center in Heidenheim. Close collaboration
between the teams is a big advantage – it enhances prediction accuracy, which speeds up the planning process andimproves product performance.

Voith experts use powerful computer hardware and software
to predict and analyze fluid flow inside Voith machinery.

Turbine flow
Predicting how machinery and fluids
interact ensures smooth operation.

Virtual testing
Enables performance, reliability andefficiency to be improved.

Successful operation of new hydropower plants
depends on accurately predicting how machinery and fluids
will interact before the plant is built. Dr. Roland Jester-Zürker,
Head of Fluid Mechanics at Voith Hydro, uses computational
fluid dynamics (CFD) to research and plan optimal plant design and maximize operational performance.
Can you explain what CFD is and how it is used
at Voith? Essentially, a group of skilled engineers uses a
combination of powerful computer hardware and software to
predict and analyze fluid flow inside our machinery. CFD enables us to reliably investigate and evaluate complex physicalrelationships very early in the design process. It helps us toachieve high levels of performance, reliability and efficiency
for our products. We can virtually test things such as theeffects of geometric variations, performance limits duringhypower N° 29.2017

Is all the expertise in-house? To accelerate development, we look to the future with external partners suchas the Institute of Fluid Mechanics and Hydraulic Machineryat the University of Stuttgart. With their support, we recently
completed one of the largest computational investigations
ever undertaken on a Francis turbine. It focused on part-load
operation and its effect on water flow through the draft tube.
Our main objective was to derive an improved CFD process
to increase prediction accuracy, which is a challenging task
in the case of part-load operation. It was an intensive effort
involving extremely refined grid models with over 300 million
nodes, using the computational power of 2,000 processors
working in parallel.
Do you also investigate generators? Generators
are just as important, and we look at them intensively. Because they are electromagnetic machines and not designedwith fluid mechanics in mind, fluid flow investigation is more
complicated, but we’ve built a process that simulates air flowin an entire generator. This allows us to look at how to cool
the machines properly, minimize energy loss and optimize
heat transfer. It also enables us to improve overall machine
behavior, extend its lifetime and minimize overall costs.
How is CFD evolving and what changes are on
the horizon? One of the most important assumptions in CFD
is turbulence modeling. To date, there is no universal turbulence model, but we expect that scale-resolving approaches
will improve prediction accuracy. Increasing the level of detailand including multi-physics aspects will also be a task for thenear future. On a more general level, computing power has
improved considerably since we started using CFD around30 years ago. This has given us faster and more accurate results that have helped reduce design-cycle times. In the
coming decades, we expect this accuracy and speed to improve further still.
N° 29.2017 hypower

Water flow analysis
The analysis, carried out in partnershipwith the University of Stuttgart, investigated
how part-load turbine operation affects
water flow through the draft tube at ahydropower plant.

Over 2,000 processors
and highly refined grid models with over

300 million
nodes were used.

The result:
An improved CFD process to increase flow
prediction accuracy.

“CFD enables us
to reliably
investigate andevaluate complex
physical relationships early in thedesign process.”
Dr. Roland Jester-Zürker
Head of Fluid Mechanics

12 innovate

innovate 13

Big innovation in
Small Hydro
In the future, Small Hydro projects will be vital in unlocking
hydropower potential. The StreamDiver helps realize that potential
with minimum environmental impact.

with the low proportion of moving parts, this reduces theneed for manual inspection, allows for very predictive maintenance and maximizes unit availability. High performance,
stable operations, long service intervals, reduced downtime
and low-cost spare parts will ensure stable revenue overthe project’s lifetime.”
Supported by an enthusiastic team of apprentices andstudents in every phase, from design and manufacturing
through to assembly and installation, the project wascompleted in December 2016, just eight months after construction work had started. Today, the installation produces
energy for the Voith factory. Customers can now see theStreamDiver in action for themselves by visiting the installation and its special on-site exhibition.

1
The StreamDiver
power unit turbine islowered into positionat Alte Bleiche.
2
StreamDiver units
can be installed
individually or ina row.

Low
impactLower civil impact
and civil costs
compared with conventional solutions

3
The StreamDiver
unit is submerged
and exerts
minimal environmental impact.

Low
cost
Around 75% of the world’s viable hydropower
resources remain untapped, but many potential sites are notwell suited to building larger hydropower plants. That is oneof the reasons Voith has invested in the development of its
Small Hydro StreamDiver power unit turbine, which enables
power generation for installations with a head of up to
8 meters. The standardized, modular power unit is suitablefor outputs from 30 kW up to double-digit MW, and installation as well as operation requires minimal environmental
disruption. Its benefits are illustrated perfectly at the new“The ecologically aware
design of the StreamDiver
is invisible and completely
oil-free.”Timo Mayer
Project Manager Small Hydro, Voith

1

StreamDiver site at Alte Bleiche, part of the River Brenz,
inside Voith’s own factory complex in Heidenheim, Germany.
Timo Mayer, Project Manager Small Hydro at Voith,
explains: “The StreamDiver installation at Alte Bleiche combines a compact turbine-generator unit with a shaft-basedhydropower plant concept developed by the Technical University of Munich. It is one of the few hydropower plants inthe world that combines high efficiency with an ecologicallyaware design that is invisible and completely oil-free.”
Minimizing environmental impact
Development of the Alte Bleiche site was only permitted if
environmental regulations covering noise pollution, the safe
passage of fish downstream and flood prevention could be
met in full. That is why the team decided to build the shaft
and install the StreamDiver in a small weir that had been out
of use since the 1980s. No building work – other than theunderwater shaft – or any alterations to the river’s floodprevention outlets were required. The power plant is especially innovative in that it runs entirely without hydraulic oil.
Additionally, because it sits below water level, it is invisible
from ground level and virtually silent. In addition, the plant’s
technical controls are integrated within a small standardized
container, with no need for a powerhouse.

Low operational andmaintenance costs

2

Low
noise
Lower noise levelcompared with astandardhydropower
installation

Maintenance made simple
Speaking about the easy maintenance of the technology,
Timo Mayer comments: “The StreamDiver removes the usualcomplexity of hydropower installations because the design
does not need to take cooling water, drainage water and oilpipes into account. All the relevant operational parametersand system states can be monitored remotely. Combined
hypower N° 29.2017

Oil-freeOil-free power unit
and completely
oil-free plant

Invisible
Submerged
machinery for low
visual impact

N° 29.2017 hypower14 innovate

innovate 15

Nonstopinnovati on
For 150 years, new ideas have guided Voith’s approach toserving its customers. Uwe Wehnhardt, President and CEO,and Dr. Norbert Riedel, Chief Technology Officer, discuss how
innovation will help ensure customers’ success in the future.

Not many businesses
survive and thrive for 150 years.
Why has Voith Hydro?
Uwe Wehnhardt: First of all, hydropower itself has a long and innovative
history, in which Voith has played aleadership role since it began developing turbines in Germany in 1870. By
1903, Voith was already shipping its
hydropower machinery abroad, including the delivery of the world’s largest
turbines to a new plant at Niagara Falls
in North America. All the while, hydropower has become increasingly important in supporting economic growth,
especially in Europe in the early 20th
century and, more recently, in Africa
and Asia. Hydropower as a renewableenergy source also has a unique ability
to provide base-load supply without
dependence on the wind or the sun.
This has also contributed to the sector’s growth and significance.
Dr. Norbert Riedel: Because water isa natural and therefore varied source of“Our competenceis reflected inlong-lasting
partnerships withcustomers.”
Uwe Wehnhardt
President and CEO

energy, every hydropower plant must
provide a bespoke technological solution to suit the specific characteristicsof the location. It pays to plan every
kilowatt of output from an economic
perspective, and we can do that basedon the standards we have developed,
which have been proven over decadesof successful project implementation.
Establishing these standards requires

us to use the latest development methods and leverage huge volumes of reference data from existing projects. This
is why customers can trust our technology that, while proven, will never
have been installed in exactly the same
way somewhere else. Our leadership isonly possible through our significant investments in engineering and people,
which allow us to combine technology,
the exceptional skills of our professionals, and the experience generated
through our reference projects.
Wehnhardt: Another important factor
is that we have developed the breadthand depth of our products and services to become a full-line supplier inthe sector. This even includes financing
solutions from our internal partner Voith
Financial Services, which are importantfor many customers – especially for
Small Hydro projects. Moreover, everything we learn and develop for large
projects feeds into our other businesssegments, including Small Hydro,
hypower N° 29.2017

Uwe Wehnhardt, President and CEO

modernization and our service business. This represents a virtuous cycleof continuous improvement, which isenabling us to lead in both hydraulicand electrical equipment for hydropower plants. Ultimately, our competencein these areas is reflected in long-lasting partnerships with customers thathave trusted our technological expertiseand innovation for decades.
N° 29.2017 hypower

Why do you believehydropower will become even more
important in the future?
Wehnhardt: Hydropower can help
meet the objectives of the climateagreement signed last year in Paris,
because it is a clean, renewable, environmentally friendly energy source that
also has a low carbon footprint. What’smore, there is huge development po-

Dr. Norbert Riedel, CTO

tential, because around 75% of available capacity remains untapped. And
because we can use water to store
energy, hydropower can also be combined with other energy sources to create hybrid energy-generation solutions.
Riedel: Indeed, hydropower is ideal
for supplementing the contribution of
weather-dependent renewable energy
sources like wind and solar, because itSection 17

16 innovate

can compensate for fluctuations in
supply and provide reliable available
capacity. Combining pumped storage
with wind or solar installations cancreate very effective solutions that allow for constant base-load supply.
What will be the key influences on the further development ofhydropower technology?
Wehnhardt: Digitization will be vital,
not only for hydropower itself, but also
for the energy sector in general. Digitalsolutions will help our customers run
their hydropower plants even more
efficiently or reduce operational costs.
In addition, our ability to analyze andinterpret data will give us a deeper
understanding of our machines, makeit easier to identify anomalies andallow our customers to utilize theirhydropower assets more effectively.
Riedel: That is why we have integrated our automation and monitoring
capabilities within Voith’s new Digital
Solutions Division to develop new products and solutions for our customers.
For example, HyGuard, our new acoustic monitoring service, uses sound tohelp engineers identify problems at
plants remotely before they affect operation. It is easy to install at new or existing plants, and it learns to spot
anomalies more effectively through thestructure of the cloud. In addition, using
new sensor technologies all over theplant improves operational flexibility andefficiency, and helps our customers
maximize profitability. Finally, digital solutions also enable plant owners to planand execute maintenance work optimally, so shut-down periods have thelowest possible impact on operations.
Which solutions does Voith
offer for developing untapped hydropower potential?
Wehnhardt: Digitization is also a key
driver here for maximizing the performance of new and existing plants. We

offer tailored digital solutions that improve efficiency and extend operationalboundaries, based on reliable data
analyses that help our experts advise
customers optimally. In particular, we
see a lot of potential in the sub-100MW area, for which we also offer costeffective solutions. Voith is a recognized leader in these Small Hydro
technologies, which benefit from everything we learn and develop through theworld’s largest hydropower projects.
Riedel: Exactly – Small Hydro technologies exhibit the same sophisticationand effectiveness as large installations,but add benefits such as lower environmental impact. One good example
is Voith’s StreamDiver – an adaptable,
environmentally friendly and compact
turbine-generator unit that enables
stable, flexible power generation at asmall scale.
Wehnhardt: And that expertise also
informs knowledge transfer about sustainable hydropower development
through, for example, our HydroSchool
initiative. The Mount Coffee plant in
Liberia – for which we trained 20 technicians and managers on site and in
Heidenheim, while simultaneously carrying out technology upgrades – illustrates this perfectly. Worldwide, wehave already conducted 13,000 hoursof training across 50 courses, andhelped 800 students from 100 companies improve their skills.
What else is Voith doing toenhance the future of hydropower?
Riedel: The energy sector is changing
rapidly and so are customer require-ments – from optimal to flexible operation at the limit. As a result, simulation
technology that helps customers make
improvements while protecting resources is becoming more important.
Our approach is to create a “digitaltwin” of the plant, to map its life cycle
more accurately. We have been leading
improvements in these simulation techniques across hydraulic and electronic
technologies for decades.
Wehnhardt: And that leadership depends on our continuous investment inresearch and development. We havea precise road map of where we wantto get to. One recent important milestone in that journey is the Geno-Lab
in Hanover, Germany, opened in 2016
through cooperation with the local
university.
Riedel: It is a good example of how weutilize our globally integrated network of
R&D facilities and partnerships with
universities around the world. This kindof collaboration is allowing us to, forexample, make new demands on materials, and work on the future applications of our technologies in salt water.
Wehnhardt: Another important reason
we are ready for the future is that wehave become even better at understanding our customers’ priorities andidentifying their pain points. We learn
which parts of their business models
they want to optimize and extend, anduse modern methodologies such as thedesign thinking process to find solutions.
And by working even more closely withour customers, we’re developing individual solutions for them that make themost of our expanding capabilities.

“Simulation technology helps
customers make improvements
while protecting resources.”
Dr. Norbert Riedel
Chief Technology Officer

hypower N° 29.2017

p. 17

p. 28

transform

Insight into the people and technologies
shaping the future of hydropower

Training the world
Inna Kremza, who celebrates her 20th year at Voith Hydro
in 2017, combines her primary job as Head of Engineeringwith a lead role in customer training. “About five years
ago, customers started asking us to help them retain andextend their hydropower expertise. Now I run training
courses for new and experienced engineers around theworld. I love seeing the difference it makes to them. I only
wish I could have started earlier,” she says.

Inna Kremza,
Head of Engineering,
Voith Hydro Mississauga, Canada

18 transform

transform 19

2012
Initial introductory meeting
to discuss project

2013/14Development of turbine models

2015
Independent testing ofmodels in Switzerland

On-the-spot
manufacturing

2016
Voith selected to supply six
Francis turbines & generators
Voith is supplying six Francis
turbines and generators for Site C,
with a total output of 1,100 MW.

2017
A creative on-site
approach to machine
manufacturing will
boost productivity
during the constructionof the new Site Chydropower plantin British Columbia,
Canada.

Economic benefits

5,100 gigawatt
hours of energy will be
produced annually.

2,200
people working on site as of April 2017 –81% resident in British Columbia.

Almost five years after the
initial introductory meeting with BC
Hydro in Vancouver, April 2017 saw
the completion of the Voith groundbreaking ceremony for the Site C hy-

450,000
is the equivalent number of homes per
year in BC that Site C could power.

dropower plant on the Peace River in
British Columbia. It is the latest exciting milestone since Voith was awarded the contract in March 2016, after acompetitive three-proponent bidding
process, for the manufacturing andinstallation of the six Francis turbines
and accompanying generators required for the project. By 2024, theplant will be operating with a capacityof 1,100 MW – enough to power theequivalent of 450,000 homes per year
in British Columbia. The constructionof Site C, located downstream of BC
Hydro’s existing W.A.C. Bennett andPeace Canyon dams, will also feature
two innovations that were unique inVoith’s proposal: on-site manufacturing and robotic welding.
hypower N° 29.2017

Intensive evaluation
Over 18 months of collaborative bimonthly meetings with BC Hydro, theparameters of the Site C plant werediscussed, defined and adjusted. Eachof the bidders then submitted proposals, including model turbines, whichwere tested independently at the EPFL
(École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne) in Switzerland with BC Hydro’s
supervision. It was an intensive process, as Voith Project Engineer Sebastian Mogl recalls: “The evaluation andtesting process took well over a year,
and we knew that winning the contract
would be about striking a balance between the cost of the electrical/mechanical equipment, efficiency and thecost impact on the civil design. UltiN° 29.2017 hypower

Plant construction begins, and the on-sitemanufacturing hall is completed

2018Powerhouse construction begins

2022
Machine manufacturing completed

2023
First Voith unit goes into service –all six will be running by 2024

mately, finding the optimized solution
for BC Hydro was the goal of theentire process.” In the end, BC Hydro
decided Voith had found that idealbalance, with BC Hydro President
and CEO Jessica McDonald commenting, “Voith was selected becauseof its strong track record with similarcomplex projects, and its proposal
offered BC Hydro the highest-value
design, within budget.”On-site innovation
One way Voith is delivering additional
value is through the construction of
an on-site manufacturing facility. Voith
Project Manager Leila Britel explains:“Some of the turbine components weare supplying – including the welded
sections of the draft tube elbows andcones, the draft tube bulkheads, andthe spiral case sections for the six
units – are very large. That makes
them difficult, time-consuming and expensive to transport over long distances. Building an on-site manufacturing facility enables us to assemble
and weld these parts together on site.
This reduces the risk of delays, lowers
installation and transport costs, andenables faster implementation ofchanges.” Not only that, the facility will
use new robotic welding technology
for the first time, increasing productivity, ensuring maximum part quality andreducing the risk of rework.
Benefiting local communities
Importantly, Voith is also working withBC Hydro and local communities tominimize disruption and maximize theemployment and economic benefits ofthe project for local people, including
Aboriginal populations. Thousands ofjobs will be created by the Site C project. At the peak of the turbines andgenerators project, 200 Voith employees will be on site, working with local
talent to ensure Site C goes into fulloperation on schedule, in 2024.

20 transform

transform 25

1867

open

open

Friedrich Voith
assumes control of his
father’s business –the “official” inception ofVoith as a company,
with 30 employees.

Then

Over the last 150 years, Voith Hydro has become a global leader infull-line hydropower solutions. Innovation has guided every
step of its journey, and will continue to do so in our digital future.

www.voith.com/150years-en/index.html

Did Friedrich Voith know in 1867 that thecompany his father started would become one of theworld’s most enduring businesses? Or that the organization he built would still be driving hydropower
innovation a century and a half later? We can’t know
for sure, but we can say that the innovative spirit hebrought to his work has echoed across the decadesin every new technological development, customer
relationship, milestone project and strategic acquisition. Since the company delivered its first turbine,
Voith has played a key role in supporting the world’s
industrial development and economic growth withclean, renewable power. It has survived two world
wars, and numerous global booms and slumps, by
focusing on what it does best: delivering solutions
that solve its customers’ challenges in innovative andhighly effective ways. Because innovation should
always have a practical purpose – defined by what
our customers need.

1 Early 20th century: This Francis runner was manufactured
in 1920 to generate power for a paper mill in Kuusankoski,
Finland. Friedrich Voith was the first to design and produce
a Francis turbine in Germany, in 1873.

Now
2 Early 21st century: This modern Francis runner was delivered to
the Bratsk hydroelectric plant, situated by the Angara River, theonly outlet from Lake Baikal in Russia, in 2014. It has a diameterof 5.6 meters and weighs 73 metric tons.

Today, Voith is driving the next stage of its evolution in
the digital age. Of course, automation, modern technology and computer-aided design have transformed
turbine manufacturing. But Voith is applying digitization to every aspect of hydropower plant design, construction and operation.
For example, state-of-the-art simulation technologies allow Voith to accurately predict machine behavior, giving customers peace of mind before plants go
into operation. And acoustic monitoring systems help
energy providers proactively maintain facilities without
the delay, expense and potential risks of sending engineers to remote sites.
And alongside these digital approaches, Voith
continues to innovate in machinery, developing environmentally friendly solutions that minimize environmental impacts, protect fish stocks, and unlock Small
Hydro generation potential. In other words, innovation
will drive the next 150 years of the Voith story – justas it has always done.

1873

Voith Hydro

The company
manufactures anddelivers its firstFrancis turbine.

1927

AUSTRIA1879
Development of
the first turbine
governor iscompleted.

1870
Voith builds itsvery first turbine –a Henschel-Jonval
turbine with 100 HP(74 kW).

NIAGARA
FALLS

1993
1929

1929

First order from
E.ON – still a Voith
customer,
88 years later.

1930

1907
First order fromDuke Energy – stilla Voith customer,
110 years
later.

Turbines
Voith has made a habit out of
turbine technology innovation,
designing, building and installing a wide range ofFrancis, Kaplan, pump, Pelton and bulb/pit turbines,
and supplying a total of 40,000 units to its customers.

First order fromENEL – still aVoith customer,
87 years later.

1910

Voith builds a hall forthe manufacture oflarge turbines, featuring
the world’s biggest
carousel lathe.

1908

Generators
Voith has built a complete portfolioof generator solutions for all speeds,
vertical and horizontal designs, and air-cooled andwater-cooled windings – including the world’s largest
and most powerful water-cooled generators.

1966
The Yuba County
Water Agency in California, US, orders two
Pelton turbines with
226,000 HP (166,223 kW)
each – the largest in
the world.

1964
Voith opens its
manufacturing
facility at São
Paulo in Brazil.

1934
1909
First order from
China HuadianCorporation – still aVoith customer,
108 years later.

1932
First order from
Vattenfall – still aVoith customer,
85 years later.

Pumped storage
Voith Hydro is a leader in pumped storage hydropower plants that ensure reliable available
capacity by storing excess energy and releasing it whenever
it is needed. It is also the perfect foundation for hybrid energy generation solutions.

1994

2007

Voith Fuji, a joint
venture with Fuji
Electric in
Kawasaki, Japan,
is founded.
CHINA

1997
1959
First order from
Hokuriku ElectricPower – still a Voith
customer,
58 years later.

Small Hydro
Only 25% of the world’s potential hydropower capacity is being used. Voith’s leadership in innovative Small Hydro technology is helping to
unlock this potential in locations where large hydropower
projects are not economically or geographically feasible.

In India, the 520 MW
Omkareshwar hydropower station, witheight 65 MW Voithmachines, is commissioned.

2007
INDIA

Voith acquires
Kössler, a specialist
Small Hydro manufacturer based inAustria.

2010
In Vadodara, India,
Voith opens a new
manufacturing facility
for Small Hydro
components androtors.

2000

1997

Voith builds the world’s
first turbine designed tominimize injury to fish as
they pass through themachinery.

Voith delivers theworld’s first reversible
pump-turbine, with an
output of 5.3 MW, to aplant at Pedreira in
Brazil.

Automation & Digital Solutions
Digitization is taking hydropower automation to the next level. Voith Digital Solutions
enables deeper insight into machine behavior, and faster
identification of anomalies or improvement opportunities,
empowering energy providers to operate more efficiently.

Goldisthal, Germany’s
largest pumped storage
plant, with a 1,060 MW
capacity, goes into
operation.

Delivery of theturbines for the plant at
Guangzhou II,
the world’s largest
pumped storage
plant at the time.

1995

BRUNNENMÜHLEFriedrich Voith opens
the new research center at
Brunnenmühle in Germany,and starts operating its
first pumped storage
plant at the site.

2004
Commissioning of
the world’s mostpowerful pumped
storage plant, with a total output of 2,700 MW,
in Bath County,
Virginia, US.

2003

Voith acquires 75%of the Italian turbine
manufacturer Riva
Hydroart.

SÃO
PAULO

Delivery of theturbines for China’s
first hydropower
plant at
Shi Long Ba.

1903
Friedrich Voith opens
Voith’s first foreign subsidiary at St. Pölten in Austria.
And construction starts on
the first of 12 Francis
turbines for a plant at
Niagara Falls in
Canada.

1966

1986
Voith purchases theHydropower businessof US market leader
Allis-Chalmers.

INDIA

GERMANYSHILONG BA1902

ESTREITO

Voith acquires VG
Power in Sweden
and establishes a
subsidiary inTurkey.

US

Voith is awarded acontract to supply 12 turbines for the plant at Itaipu
on the Brazil-Paraguay
border – the largest
hydropower facility inthe world at the time.

Voith receives anorder for four Francis
turbines for the
Estreito hydropower
plant in Brazil.

1922

1900

Construction of
the first Peltonturbine begins.

First order from
EnBW – still aVoith customer,
89 years later.

Voith builds its first
Kaplan turbine for
the Siebenbrunnhydropower plant inAustria.

First order fromGN Fenosa – still aVoith customer,
117 years later.

2006

1978

1928

Voith accepts an orderfor its 10,000th turbinewith 48,500 HP(35,672 kW), destined for
the Herdecke pumped
storage plant.

Constant Inspiration
for Continuous Innovation

Recognizing Germany’s growing
thirst for energy, Friedrich Voith
oversaw the company’s diversification into water turbine manufacturing in the 1870s – a logical step,since Voith’s mechanical papermaking machines were already being powered by water mills.

ITAIPUGERMANY

Voith receives an orderfor six 700 MW turbines
for the Three Gorges
plant in China, still theworld’s largest hydropower facility.

Full-line solutions
Voith Hydro has evolved its portfolio to meetand exceed customer requirements acrossthe entire life cycle of new and existing hydropower plants,
whatever their size and scope – from plant design and construction, to financing and service.

Voith and Siemens
form Voith Hydro Power
Generation, now Voith
Hydro. Voith, Siemens and
SEMMW also form
SHEC Shanghai, now
Voith Hydro
Shanghai Ltd.

2013
Voith’s most powerful turbine evergoes into operation
at Xiluodu in
China.

2017
Voith celebrates its 150th
anniversary – and looks
ahead to the next milestone, with the motto“Welcome to the Next
150 Years.”

CANADA &NORWAY

2000
Voith acquires facilities in Canada and
Norway to strengthen
its internationalpresence.

2014
2013
Voith launches
VolgaHydro, a joint
venture in Russia, andacquires Vortex
Hydrosystems in
Canada.

HyService
Voith HyService teams provide fast, highquality, proactive maintenance and repair
services, wherever and whenever they are needed.
Customers benefit from reliable power generation andmaximum return on existing investments.

The environmentallyfriendly, low-maintenanceand compact StreamDiver
turbine wins the German
Innovation Award.

Environmentally friendly solutions
Voith develops solutions that help minimize the impact of hydropower projects
on the environment – from submerged, oil-free Small
Hydro turbines that reduce water pollution, to enabling safer fish passage through machinery.

26 transform

transform 27

Meeting
the change
challenge
Voith contributes to the International Hydropower Association (IHA) through its
Platinum membership and Voith Hydro CEO Uwe Wehnhardt’s work as a board
member. Richard Taylor, CEO of the IHA, shares his views on our industry’s
challenges and opportunities, and on the recent World Hydropower Congress.

Mr. Taylor, you’ve been
involved in hydropower for 30 years.
Why does it still fascinate you, andwhat new challenges is the industry
facing? Hydropower covers so many
disciplines and is so varied in terms of
its geographical, technical, financial,environmental and social facets. Nobody can ever become a complete hydropower expert. I am always learning,
and the search for better solutions
never ends. In terms of challenges, it isabout staying relevant in the face of
rapid technological, political and economic change across the world, andbeing dynamic and flexible enough toadapt. We need to ensure that hydropower can meet future energy andwater needs even more competitively.
How is the role of IHAchanging in the face of new challenges? The organization started out“The IHA is an
excellentorganization that
represents theindustry in thebest possible
way, mainly
through thediversity of its
membership.”
Uwe Wehnhardt,
President and CEO, Voith Hydro

as a group of interested members
seeking stronger representation for thehydropower sector in the policy landscape. Today we’re an organization
spanning 100 countries that identifies
gaps in hydropower knowledge,
searches for solutions and shares insight as widely as possible. We’re
becoming more of a creator and distributor of knowledge that helps all
stakeholders have greater confidence
in the hydropower-related decisions
they make.
Over the last decade, we havealso begun working much more closelywith our peer organizations in thewind, solar, geothermal and bio-energy
industries. This collaboration is intensifying because the integration ofdifferent sources of renewable energy
is becoming increasingly importantfor guaranteeing reliable energy supply.
hypower N° 29.2017

Richard Taylor,
CEO of IHA

The 2017 World
Hydropower Congressin Ethiopia provided aplatform for discussions
and technologies
that will shape thefuture of hydropower.

N° 29.2017 hypower

28 transform

Section 29

p. 29

p. 43

reflect

In many countries, it is reliability andquality, rather than growth in capacity,that is the key issue right now. In addition, the increasing number of hybrid
renewable projects – for example,
floating solar on hydro reservoirs – isquite extraordinary.
How important is the Hydropower Sustainability Protocol tothe development of the industry?
The protocol has been developed toprovide a way of defining and building
a consensus around proven goodpractice for key topics in hydropower
activities, in terms of environmental,social, economic and technical performance. The information defined by the
protocol supports project stakeholders,and makes for more informed decisionmaking. The protocol is continuously
being reviewed to see if it can be mademore useful and efficient, which benefits everyone involved. For example,
together with Voith, we are currently
working on a methodology for measuring project performance in relation toclimate resilience. Another initiative isfinding ways to increase the speed withwhich information can be gathered in
the field and presented to decisionmakers. We are also looking to increase the number of independent accredited assessors who measureproject data against the protocol. Our
goal is to ensure that every verificationcompany providing due diligence onhydropower projects has at least one
full-time assessor on their staff.
The recent 2017 World Hydropower Congress was in Ethiopia.
Why is that, and what were the highlights of the event? The mandate tobring the congress to Africa was established at the 2015 World Hydropower
Congress in Beijing. Africa has a similar

Voith and the IHA:
Key Facts

Voith is a
Platinum
Member of the
IHA, and CEO
Uwe Wehnhardt
serves as aboard member.

Voith was a key sponsor of the2017 World Hydropower
Congress, and provided two
speakers for its workshops
and breakout sessions:Dr. Norbert Riedel, CTO(“Workshop 4: Strategies toFoster Sustainable Operationand Maintenance” and“Renewable Energy Storage”)

Heike Bergmann,
SVP Sales Africa(“Capacity-Building andSkills Shortages”)

hydropower potential to that of Europe,
but 90% of it remains untapped, so the“local” interest is very high. Addis Ababa is where the African Union and theUnited Nations Economic Commission
for Africa are headquartered, so Ethiopia
was the logical choice.
In terms of the highlights, there
were several areas. Firstly, the launchof our new tool for measuring thegreenhouse-gas footprint of hydropower projects. This is a real landmark
for the sector. Secondly, the discussion
around green labels and what the climate bonds initiative means for the hydropower industry was very interesting.
And thirdly, the debate about
setting up a hydropower preparation
support facility was important. Suchfacilities could give host countries anddevelopers a well-defined blueprint for
preparing and implementing future
projects. This will significantly reduce
the risk premium for developers, alignthe projects to system needs, andcould steer the way we do hydropowerin the future, in an increasingly interconnected world.
Finally, the overall theme of theconference was “Better Hydro.” To
complement that, we published casestudies developed together with theWorld Bank. These cases prove howhydropower best practice has beenachieved and checked through sustainability assessments, and they include some examples that are really inspirational. All this made for a very
exciting congress, where the world met
to shape hydropower’s future. On behalf of all the organizing partners, I
would like to take this opportunity to
acknowledge and thank Voith as asponsor for helping us make the congress happen.
hypower N° 29.2017

Technologies and approaches that
demonstrate how the industry is evolving

Sound Innovation
Hydropower facilities are so large and complex thatsometimes you can hear a problem before you
can see it. The easy-to-install HyGuard™
acoustic monitoring system uses microphones todetect unusual sounds from around the plant.
Special algorithms are then used to analyze them inthe cloud and discover whether there is a potential
problem. Best of all, it is a self-learning systemthat continuously improves the accuracy with whichanomalies can be detected.

reflect 31

A six-year project to expand andimprove the performance of an existing
Austrian hydropower installation
marks a high point for pumped storage
technology.

A Voith engineer inspects a turbine
on site at Reisseck II.

Recharging the‘green batte ry’

Located amidst the wonderful Alpine setting ofMölltal, a southern Austrian valley in the province of Carinthia,
the redeveloped Reisseck II pumped storage plant is as
innovative as it is ambitious. After six years of construction,
this new facility creates a hydraulic connection between two
groups of existing power stations, Malta and ReisseckKreuzeck. As such, it makes energy generation in the Alpseven more efficient and sustainable. And it marks a real highpoint in the development of pumped storage hydropower
plants. “From a technology point of view,” says Martin Nussmüller, a Voith project leader on Reisseck II, “we can say it is
one of the most modern pumped storage plants in the world.”

The impressive dam
wall at Reisseck II in
southern Austria.

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N° 29.2017 hypower

Environmentally sound foundations
The original Reisseck-Kreuzeck system was created between 1948 and 1961, with Malta opening in 1978. Thismeans that Reisseck II required no major additional environmental changes. Indeed, though up to 250 people, hugemachinery and underground tunnels were integral to its completion, the landscape has been returned to its idyllic Alpine
aesthetic. “Around €8 million has been spent on renaturalizing the area,” says Nussmüller.
Now complete and operational, Reisseck II increases theefficiency of the area’s energy generation system, ensuringthat the installation is as environmentally friendly as possible.

32 reflectreflect 33“It is one of the most modern
pumped storage plants inthe world.”

As a result, it is known by those who worked on the project
by its nickname – the “green battery.” Whenever windpowered or solar energy sources are compromised becauseof local weather conditions, Reisseck II comes into its own:
in double-quick time, the pumped storage plant can stepin to supply power, and then be throttled back when wind or
solar conditions improve.

Martin Nussmüller
Project Manager, Reisseck II, Voith
2,3

79

m

2,3

3

,0

0

0

m

2,3

19
m

-2

, 37

99

1,7
0

m

4m

-1
,90

2m

9m

2

,5

0

0

m

1,7
0

4m

m

2

,0

0

0

m

Kölnbrein reservoir,
1,902 m

1
,5

0

0

Hochalm Lake,
2,379 m

1
,0

0

0

m

1, 5
8

5m

Gösskarbalancereservoir,
1,704 m00mGrosser MühldorferLake, 2,319 m

5

1,1
94

Galgenbichl
pre-storage basin,
1,704 mRadl Lake
2,399 mPumped storage
station Reisseck II,
1,585 mm

59

Key figures

1,459 MW8m

The total power output of the Reisseck
power-plant-groups – a 40 % increase on
the 1,029 MW prior to Reisseck II.

€ 8 million
55

7m

59

The total amount spent on renaturalizing
the landscape surrounding Reisseck II.
8m

hypower N° 29.2017

N° 29.2017 hypower

Pushing the limits of design
Voith innovations facilitated the optimal operation of the plantby creating two pump turbines that really push the boundaries in terms of design and functionality. “This was a greatchallenge,” says Anton Huber, also a Voith Project Manager
on Reisseck II. “We had to go beyond the usual specifications, but we showed we could complete the project to avery high standard.” The central tenet of the design is thatthough the turbines are small, they provide a very high power
output, which equates to exceptional efficiency, as
stipulated by the customer, Verbund Hydro Power GmbH(the Austrian energy provider). Huber adds: “The pump turbines have been labeled ‘Grenzleistungsmaschinen,’ or ‘performance-limit machines.’ This refers to the fact that thepower output of the turbines relative to their size is rightat the limit of what is currently possible. Therefore,
from an efficiency and technological viewpoint, they
really are cutting-edge.”
The result: Reisseck II has an output of 430 MW
in both pumping and turbine modes, and increases theoverall output of the two power-plant-groups by 40%, from
1,029 MW to 1,459 MW. The beauty of the technology andthe overall design is that energy generation can be adapted
to the prevailing conditions almost instantaneously. Andof course, as a pumped storage plant, Reisseck II can store
energy for use whenever it is needed.
On-time delivery, despite the challenges
Like any other hydropower site in a remote region, the project
was a complex undertaking. Construction at 1,600 meters
above sea level and up to 200 meters deep inside a mountain presented considerable challenges, particularly in termsof transporting huge machinery to the right place. In addition, delays caused by avalanches and forest fires werealways a risk. Nevertheless, nothing was allowed to endanger
the completion of the project, as David Giefing, ProjectManager for the Pump Turbine at Verbund Hydro PowerGmbH, concludes: “Throughout the project, I always felt I
had found a trustworthy partner in Voith. With our credo,‘the technical solution always comes first,’ we were able toovercome every project challenge together.”reflect 35

Always-on service
65%

2

Voith Hydro’s global service-center strategy gives customers
fast access to local support. Here’s how it is working in Brazil.

The proportion of Brazil’s
total energy mix derived
from hydropower generation.

HyService
Centers andcounting!
“The idea behind our HyService Centers isthat we want to be close to our customers andprovide services wherever they are,” explains Luiz
Fontes, Head of HyServices for Latin America. “In thepast, long journeys to plants sometimes caused
delays for our customers. The solution was to create
small, effective local service facilities in the form of
HyService Centers.”

25%

The proportion of electricalenergy projects currently
under construction accounted for byhydroelectric power plants.

Well placed: HyService locations
At present, Brazil has two HyService Centers, both
opened in 2016, which are well positioned to supporthydropower stations across the region. One islocated at Porto Velho in Rondônia, on the MadeiraRiver, and close to the power plants at Jirau andSanto Antônio. The second is in the state of Tocantins, located at Miracema on the Tocantins River,near two other major plants: one at Lajeado and theother at Peixe Angical.

Voith service
engineerssurvey a local
hydropower
installation.

hypower N° 29.2017

On site within hours
Fontes is clear about the essential role the new centers will play. “Our customers get added value throughthe confidence and trust they have in Voith,” he says.
“They want to know that, in the unlikely event of aproblem with any machine, even if it wasn’t manufactured by us, they can rely on Voith engineers to
respond quickly. Our service experts can be at any ofthe plants in the region within a few hours.”
Each service center is staffed by a supervisor
and teams of technicians, engineers and mechanics
that specialize in plant repair and maintenance. Importantly, experts at Voith headquarters in São Paulo
are always on hand to provide additional specialist
support, if required.
Proactive support
In addition to rapid response, service specialists also
visit customer plants regularly to offer advice andperform proactive check-ups on turbines, generatorsand other equipment. “The idea is to provide corrective maintenance when the customer needs us in an
emergency, but also preventative technical support
that can save them a lot of time and money.”
Continued expansion
The two sites in Brazil are models for building similar
facilities in the future. “We are currently conducting
assessments for other potential sites in Brazil andother countries in Central and South America,” says
Fontes. This expansion will provide the perfect platform for Fontes and his colleagues to keep energy
flowing for customers across the region.

reflect 37

Ensuring
grid stability

Solar and wind power makea significant contribution to Portugal’s
electricity generation capacity and, because these technologies are weatherdependent, the grid is vulnerable tofluctuations in supply. This makes it theperfect place to build a pumped storage plant powered by a state-of-theart technology that helps ensure gridstability. Nevertheless, Portuguese energy company EDP Produção took abrave step when it decided to implement a solution based on two Voith
variable-speed, reversible pump-turbine/motor-generator units that, at thetime, had no reference projects toprove their effectiveness. EDP’s trust inVoith’s technology has now been rewarded, as the new Frades II pumped
storage plant began successful commercial operation on April 1, 2017.

Europe’s most relevant installation of variable-speed, reversible pump-turbine
and motor-generator units is now in successful commercial operation at EDP’s
Frades II hydropower facility in northwestern Portugal.

Variable speed, constant reliability“The key element of this plant is a special asynchronous motor-generator: theDFIM, or doubly fed induction machine,” says Thomas König, Electrical
Balance of Plant at Voith Hydro. Explaining how the technology works inmore detail, he adds “A conventional
synchronous machine turns at a fixed
speed in time with the 50 Hz grid frequency. In contrast, the mechanical rotation speed of the DFIM machines canvary, which has two main advantages.
Firstly, the new systems allow a fast
and flexible response to active and reactive demand from the power grid –supply can be varied to meet demand.

hypower N° 29.2017

N° 29.2017 hypower38 reflectreflect 39

Voltage drop
Voltage issignificantly more than
5% below normal.

Secondly, they offer additional stability
in cases of a voltage drop, reducing
the likelihood of a blackout and enabling the system to resume operationmuch faster if one occurs. That’s because when the voltage drops by significantly more than 5% below normal,
the turbines and DFIM motor-generators at Frades II can retain stability for
up to 600 milliseconds – four times
longer than a fixed-speed power unit.
This can mean the difference between
normal operation and a widespread
power outage.” Ultimately, DFIM technology delivers optimal operation inboth turbine and pump modes, while
fulfilling TSO (role assumed in Portugal
by REN) requirements for grid fault behavior by injecting fast active and reactive power when it is needed in bothmodes. Another key aspect of thistechnology (and perhaps the most relevant in terms of value creation) is theability to provide power variation inpump mode, which can deliver the
grid’s needed teleregulation during offpeak hours, making Frades II the only
plant in Iberia to do so without having
to generate surplus power.
Innovation at scale
The Frades II project required Voith engineers to innovate in several areas. For
example, the motor-generator’s rotor
had to be designed to cope with highcentrifugal forces and a much higher
current and voltage from the frequency

Grid stability must be maintained inorder to prevent a widespread power
outage and blackout conditions
for customers.

The dam wall at Frades II innorthern Portugal.

600 milliseconds

Frades II
The Frades II plant is locatedapproximately 40 km northeast of
Braga in northern Portugal.

DFIM maintains grid stability for
600 milliseconds.

which increases the plant’s total number of operational hours. More operational hours and higher availability generate more revenue, which in turnmeans more profit. This is one of thereasons why other similar facilities haveamortized the required investment very
quickly. Another nice side effect of thetechnology is greater operational efficiency overall. It really is a win-win forthe customer.”
António Ferreira da Costa, memberof EDP Produção Board of Management, agrees, commenting, “EDP is thecompany in Europe now able to provide a solid reference for the technology at this huge scale. Voith proved itself able to meet the most stringent
grid code requirements in Europe andto overcome the challenges posed by
the units’ large rated power. We’rehighly satisfied that the plant is runningas planned, and even in the first twomonths of operation, we have used al-most the full potential of the technology
to ensure continuous renewable energy
generation, balanced against demand.”A model for the future
Since the Frades II plant entered commercial operation, it bears Europe’s
largest variable-speed units. And because grid stability and ensuring energy supply reliability are becoming more
important everywhere, Frades II has
provided a template that will be replicated around the world. Indeed, Voithis already involved in discussions aboutsimilar projects in China and Canada.
Meier concludes, “The technology wehave deployed at Frades II is extremely
sophisticated, and we are proud that
we have been able to master all theelectrical and mechanical engineering
challenges we faced along the way.
We’re looking forward to using thatknowledge to provide other energy
suppliers with similar benefits.”

390 MW
The capacity of each variablespeed reversible pump-turbine unit
at Frades II.

One of the asynchronous motor-generator
units being installed at Frades II.

converter. This converter is larger,
heavier and 25 times more powerfulthan that of a fixed-speed facility withan equivalent output. And because theconverter is much faster than conventional models, a new electrical protection system also had to be created.
All this innovation is now delivering
important benefits to the customer
EDP, as Lars Meier, Head of Technical
Sales & Proposal Management at
Voith Hydro, explains: “The variablespeed motor-generator technology at
Frades II provides enhanced flexibility,That’s four times longer thana fixed-speed power unit.

“It’s the difference between
normal operation and an outage.”
Thomas König
Electrical Balance of Plant, Voith Hydro

A stable grid
hypower N° 29.2017

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Stronger together
Dr. Klaus Krüger, Head of Plant &Product Safety and Innovation atVoith Hydro, explains why hybrid
solutions will become increasingly
important for generating andstoring clean, renewable energy.

Dr. Klaus Krüger believes
hybrid power generation
plants are key for acleaner energy future.

In a forest overlooking the small town of Gaildorf insouthwestern Germany, a unique renewable-energy projectis underway. The “Naturstromspeicher” (natural electricity
storage plant) combines a pumped storage hydroelectricity
power station with a wind farm. The base of each of the
farm’s four wind turbines acts as a reservoir. To generate
electricity, this water is released downhill through pump turbines. If there is a surplus of power in the grid, the water
turbines switch to pump mode and drive the water back up
to the wind turbine reservoirs. An adjacent area of theKocher River will be used for the lower reservoir, which canalso be used as a retention pond in flood seasons.
Built-in flexibility
In September 2016, Voith was selected to supply three reversible Francis pump turbines for this groundbreaking project.
Dr. Klaus Krüger, Head of Plant & Product Safety and Innovation at Voith Hydro, says the 16 MW Naturstromspeicher
plant makes it easier to integrate renewable energy into thegrid. “Pumped storage plants are a proven solution for flexible

Combining seawater pumped storage, plus
wind and/or solar power generation, witha desalination plant creates a highly efficient
way of generating and storing energy, andproducing drinking water.

Renewables(PV + wind)

Consumer
SeawaterImpervious liner
RO penstock

Main penstock
Pretreatment

Fresh H O²

Motorgenerator

Pump turbine

Hydro plant forenergy recovery

TurbineBrine

Tailwater (seawa

Pumped storage plant located in a cavern

hypower N° 29.2017

N° 29.2017 hypower

Passive reverse
osmosis plant

ter)

Ocean

42 reflectreflect 43

fast start-up times and load control options of the three
speed-variable units will also allow the operator to profit
across different energy trading markets, such as balancing
energy, control power and spot markets. And pumped storage can avoid wind curtailment in case of negative energy
spot market prices,” adds Krüger.
What’s more, by using the wind towers as upper reservoirs, geography becomes less of a limiting factor, opening
the potential of decentralized pumped storage to more sites
served by municipal utilities. “The hybrid concept could also
be applied to small grids, on islands, for example,” Krüger
explains. “Then you could even use salt water, with the ocean
as the lower reservoir, instead of precious fresh water.”“The hybrid concept
could also be applied
to small grids, on
islands, for example.”
Dr. Klaus Krüger
Head of Plant & Product Safety and Innovation,
Voith Hydrobulk energy storage, which is crucial when using more volatile sources of electricity generation like wind and solar.”
Combining pumped storage with a wind farm provides a
new way to generate and store clean energy. The extra
height provided by the reservoir bases results in taller wind
towers that allow the wind turbines to generate more energy.
Planning and infrastructure costs, and environmental impact,
can be reduced as the two technologies use the same service access, grid connection and substation. “The storage,

Symbiotic saltwater applications
Using salt water for pumped storage plants presents othertechnical challenges, particularly protecting equipment against
corrosion, which can be solved technically. Krüger and hiscolleagues are researching how to realize the huge potentialof combining seawater and pumped storage economically,
with the possibility to provide more than just electricity. This
could be accomplished with symbiotic approaches.
One exciting symbiotic solution could help provide twovital resources: renewable power and clean fresh water.
Around the world, desalination plants use reverse osmosis(RO) to turn seawater into drinking water by forcing it throughsemi-permeable membranes. However, it is an energy-intensive process that requires large amounts of electricity, often
produced by fossil-fuel power plants. Instead, Krüger says,“Combining a seawater pumped storage system, powered bysolar or wind energy, with a passive RO desalination plant
could present an effective, environmentally friendly solution.
The ocean would be used as the lower reservoir, with the upper reservoir in nearby coastal mountains. Rather than using
high-pressure pumps and motors to push water against themembrane, as in classic RO plants, this would work passively: the pressure comes from the head of the upper reservoir.
And the constant pressure allows the RO plant to run 24/7.”
Just like the hydro-wind hybrid, this concept reduces
costs by co-locating and simplifying systems, and generates
zero CO emissions during operation. Such large-scale²
pumped storage solutions could convert volatile wind or solar energy into an economical, controllable base load generation source, with quality and availability similar to coal- or
gas-fired plants. Krüger summarizes: “They could bringgreater grid stability, skilled jobs and hope for a decarbonized future. And solar photovoltaic (PV) and wind turbines
feeding saltwater pumped hydro, co-located with passive
RO plants near the ocean, could provide power and fresh
water for coastal regions with water scarcity.”
hypower N° 29.2017

A small region of the northern hemisphere ofMars – blue and purple areas represent deep
depressions, green and yellow represent
shallow ground. The clearly visible network ofchannels indicate that water once flowed there.

q &aquestions andanswers
Dr. Arnold Hanselmeier,Professor for Astrophysics
at the Karl-FranzensUniversität in Graz,
Austria, explains the what,
where, how and whyof water in the universe.

Why does water exist?
When the Big Bang occurred 13.7 bil­lion years ago, only two elements ex­
isted – hydrogen and helium. All theother heavier elements, including oxy­gen, were created later through fusion
within stars. At some point, oxygen andhydrogen combined to create water.
How common is water inthe universe? Water is everywhere –from the vapor and droplets found ingalactic gas clouds, to the ice withincomets, and the atmospheres, oceans
and ice fields of planets. The further
you travel from a star, the more preva­
lent it becomes.
How does water form onplanets? It is likely that it arrives in theform of ice when comets crash into thesurface of planets. For example, 10
million years is more than enough time
for comet impacts to have created all
the water found on Earth today.
How common is water onplanets within our solar system andelsewhere? It is very common. Shaded
craters on Mercury contain ice, andN° 29.2017 hypower

Venus has water vapor in its atmo­
Arumque molupta demosam incisphere.amusam
Mars haslots of surface ice,
apiciis eatenienis doloand thereis evidence
to molutsuggestthat
ria tisitestis
as autinullasolorum vid quibus es autas etwater once
flowed there too. Europa,
quos expla si que quibu
the moon orbiting Jupiter, has an ice
crust with a fluid salt water ocean be­neath it. And Uranus and Neptune havevery thick ice crusts, which may also
cover liquid oceans. Elsewhere, we are
discovering many planets in habitablezones around other stars, and detect­ing water vapor in their atmospheres.
But they are all too far away to tellwhether liquid water is also present.
Is the presence of water
necessary to support life? Water isthe ideal solution medium for support­
ing life because it is stable across awide temperature band. As far as weknow, life requires water, but that
doesn’t necessarily mean life is present
wherever water is found. We won’t
really know for sure until we are able
to examine samples of liquid water onother planets!

Venus
Earth

Sun
Mercury

Mars

Neptune
Jupiter

UranusSaturnPlanets further from the suncontain more water.

PlutoWelcometo the Next
150 Years