The group Wind Turbine Hydro Introduction Scope of intervention Our achievements Biomass Solar Informations Home / Hydro / Introduction Presentation The motor force of rivers has been used since antiquity with water mills. Progressively, techniques have been modernised up to the invention of hydroelectricity during the XIX century. Ever since, the yield of hydroelectric power plants has progressed throughout the XIX century, thanks to numerous techincal progress. Functioning : In hydroelectricity, kinetic energy of a waterway is transformed into mecanic energy by a hydraulic turbine coupled with an alternateur that transforms it in electrical energy. There exists three principle types of hydraulic turbines: The Pelton turbine for high falls, the Francis turbine for medium falls and the Kaplan turbine for low falls. These turbines tested for a long time permit conversion returns superior than 90%. The power of a plant is function of the fall and debit of equipement according to the following formula: P = H*Q*9,81*rdt With : P : Power (kw) H: Height of the fall (difference between the level of water supply point and restoration (m) Q : Equipment debit (m3/s) rdt : Yield (turbine, alternater, etc..) Assets : Hydraulic energy is a clean and renewable energy : it doesn't generate any green house gases, nor any waste, nor any air pollution. Its production cost, which is very variable from one site to another, is very often competitive with that of a new thermal or nuclear power plant. It doesn't necessitate any import of fuel, favorising an energetic independance of the territory. Many hydraulic power plants serve other purposes than the production of electricity: irrigation and regulation of floods, for example. Voltalia concentrates on small and medium sized hydraulic power plants installed "on the fly", without an artificial reservoir of important accumulation, which distiguishes from large dams. > In Guyana Achèvement du chantier d’amélioration de la centrale hydroélectrique de Mana Sitemap Contact Legal notice