New small-scale hydro plant

In a number of newly industrialized nations, huge dams are being discussed that would flood settled landscapes and destroy ecosystems. In many underdeveloped countries, the funds and engineering know-how that would be necessary to bring hydroelectric power on line are not available. Smaller power stations entail considerable financial input and are also not without negative environmental impact. Until now, the use of hydroelectric power in connection with a relatively low dam height meant that part of the water had to be guided past the dam by way of a so-called bay-type power plant -- a design with inherent disadvantages.

Researchers at Technische Universitaet Muenchen (TUM) have developed a small-scale hydroelectric power plant that solves a number of problems at the same time: The construction is so simple, and thereby cost-efficient, that the power generation system is capable of operating profitably in connection with even modest dam heights.

Moreover, the system is concealed in a shaft, minimizing the impact on the landscape and waterways. Their approach incurs very little impact on the landscape. Only a small transformer station is visible on the banks of the river. In place of a large power station building on the riverside, a shaft dug into the riverbed in front of the dam conceals most of the power generation system. The water flows into a box-shaped construction, drives the turbine, and is guided back into the river underneath the dam. The core of the concept is not optimizing efficiency, however, but optimizing cost.

Shaft power plants could play a significant role in developing countries. Distributed, local power generation by lower-cost, easy-to-operate, low-maintenance power plants is the only solution. If turbines are not financially feasible, it is possible to use a cheap submersible pump and run it in reverse -- something that also works in the new power plant.

Any thoughts on the new technique?