Tag: Energy recovery

The iAMP-Hydro project, of which Easy Hydro is a member, has secured a €4.1M Horizon Europe research grant

Pubblicato il di Easy Hydro team

Easy Hydro is part of the iAMP-Hydro consortium (intelligent Asset Management Platform for Hydropower) that has been awarded with a €4.1 million Horizon Europe project to develop digital solutions that will improve the efficiency, flexibility and sustainability of the existing EU hydropower fleet. The project has the potential to make a huge impact on energy sustainability in the EU, where 50% of the current hydro generation assets may require upgrading by 2030.

The partners of the consortium will improve the operations of existing power stations through the development of new digital sensors and services, which will collectively form iAMP: a novel intelligent Asset Management Platform encompassing secure open and transparent data-sharing protocols and three novel digital solutions. These include new condition monitoring and predictive maintenance tools for hydropower turbines, the ecological water status monitoring and improved weather and flow forecasting.

Within the project, Easy Hydro will lead the development of a tool to improve the operations and maintenance of hydro generation assets. The aim is to increase the competitiveness of the existing hydro fleet by improving flexibility, energy generation and revenues. The full package of digital solutions will be validated at a diverse set of existing hydropower plants located around Europe, producing evidence for policy-makers to support the green and digital transition of hydropower. The hydropower plants where the solutions will be tested include schemes  differing between themselves in terms of installed capacity, turbine type, water use, flow and head parameters, climatic conditions, and environmental sensitivities.

The three-years project partnership includes Trinity College Dublin, Easy Hydro, Cuerva Energia, Suite 5 Data Intelligence Solutions, CARTIF, EDP, PPC Renewables, WIP, Norce and Politehnica University of Bucharest.

Recovering Invisible Waste (a.k.a. "Can you really put a hydro there?!!")

Recovering Invisible Waste (a.k.a. “Can you really put a hydro there?!!”)

Pubblicato il di Easy Hydro team

Our Commercial Director Mike has recently published an article on the UK’s EMA (Energy Managers Association) Magazine issue 2/2023, pages 35-37 which describes a number of pioneering hydropower energy recovery applications that the Easy Hydro team has designed over the last few years. These installations span across several industries (drinking water, hydropower, underground mining, mineral processing) but they all share the same design principle: how to generate electricity from the excess pressure of process water flowing inside existing pipes?

Large businesses are getting good at spotting their waste and minimising it: Reducing it; Recycling it. Yet for many of these, if they are large water users, there may be another waste that they don’t see: the excess water pressure in their pipes…

Mike Pedley

The full article can be read online on the EMA Magazine web page (no registration required) or via the viewer below:

Easy Hydro collaborates in international research to maximize energy recovery from irrigation pipe networks

Easy Hydro collaborates in international research to maximize energy recovery from irrigation pipe networks

Pubblicato il di Easy Hydro team

Easy Hydro has collaborated in an international research investigation together with members of the University of Naples (Italy), University of Cordoba (Spain) and Trinity College Dublin (Ireland). The research explored optimal locations for the selection of Pumps As turbines (PATs) to recover energy within branched pressurized networks.

New mixed integer non-linear models were developed and a global optimization solver employed. These methods were then applied to a case-study network located in Andalusia in Southern Spain. Among the whole pipe system distributed across 2691 ha, the optimal solution consisted of 5 PATs capable of producing around 289 MWh per year (despite the seasonal nature of the irrigation).

Plant curve: trend of the total head drop versus the total discharge within the branches selected for pumps as turbines installation.

This research reflects the commitment of Easy Hydro towards innovation and towards sustainable energy solutions enhancing the energy efficiency of water-intensive sectors.

The paper, titled “Exploring the optimal location of pumps as turbines within branched irrigation networks by global optimization”, is available at the link: https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1029/2022WR033317

Easy Hydro commissions a new turbine in snowy Ireland

Easy Hydro commissions a new turbine in snowy Ireland

Pubblicato il di Easy Hydro team

Despite the snowy weather, our team has recently commissioned a new turbine at an enchanting remote location in Ireland. The Easy Hydro generation equipment has allowed our customer to refurbish a previously existing hydro site and to re-start producing electricity for self consumption. The system is capable of working autonomously and with minimal upkeep, thanks to the presence of a control panel operating the in-series flow control valve according to the amount of water available at the intake.

Easy Hydro offers a unique knowledge to design and implement small-scale hydropower generation, in a way that is cost-effective and modular. Get in touch with the team for a free-of-charge assessment of your project!

Easy Hydro was present at the International Energy and Sustainability fair GENERA 2023

Easy Hydro was present at the International Energy and Sustainability fair GENERA 2023

Pubblicato il di Easy Hydro team

With over 25,000 professionals coming from 59 different countries, Easy Hydro could not want to miss the opportunity to attend GENERA, the International Energy and Sustainability fair held in Madrid from February 21 to 23.
The event proved to be an excellent opportunity to discuss with stakeholders, strengthen the relationship with our suppliers and customers, look for new opportunities and stay updated on the latest solutions within the energy sector.

Easy Hydro designs an energy recovery turbine for an European water utility

Easy Hydro designs an energy recovery turbine for an European water utility

Pubblicato il di Easy Hydro team

A few days ago, the Easy Hydro team has submitted a feasibility study to an European water utility. The scope of the study was to assess the technical/economic feasibility of recovering energy by installing a 9 kW water turbine at the inlet of a gravity-fed water storage reservoir.

The project will only require minor modifications to the existing pipework, and will allow our customer to generate clean electricity as a byproduct of their operations.

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If you have a potential hydropower site, please get in touch with us for a free-of-charge pre-feasibility study which will help to identify the best way forward!

New Easy Hydro turbine deliveries in January

New Easy Hydro turbine deliveries in January

Pubblicato il di Easy Hydro team

The latest two Easy Hydro turbines are now built and ready to be delivered to new customers. These units will power a run-of-river scheme in Ireland and a hybrid micro-grid in rural Colombia.

Get in touch with Easy Hydro by emailing us at info@easyhydrosolutions.com to discuss your hydro project with the team, and to get a free budget estimate and equipment specifications to bring your renewable energy design to life!

Easy Hydro exhibits at the 2022 Energy and Mines Summit in Toronto

Easy Hydro exhibits at the 2022 Energy and Mines Summit in Toronto

Pubblicato il di Easy Hydro team

Now in its 10th year, the Energy and Mines Toronto Summit is the annual meeting place for senior mining executives to meet with decarbonization, ESG, and renewables experts to discuss solutions and strategies for meeting net zero targets. This year’s expanded agenda reflected the urgency, priority, and complexity that mining companies are facing in trying to identify concrete steps to get to zero-emissions mining in line with ESG and climate commitments.

A delegation from Easy Hydro took part in the event, introducing the attendees to our innovative energy recovery technology which is particularly suitable for a water-intensive industry such as the extractive one.

Easy Hydro and Glan Agua announce a Strategic Alliance at the AEE Conference in Dublin

Easy Hydro and Glan Agua announce a Strategic Alliance at the AEE Conference in Dublin

Pubblicato il di Easy Hydro team

Easy Hydro has entered a strategic alliance with Glan Agua, a leading provider of water and wastewater solutions, to offer renewable electricity solutions to the water and wastewater industry across Ireland and UK.

The partnership will assist the water industry in reducing carbon emissions, supporting the net-zero pledge and generating cost-effective, renewable green energy.

Hydropower is a well-known technology used to generate energy from the movement and pressure of downward-flowing water. In existing water networks, for example from upland sources or reservoirs, pressure-reducing valves dissipate this energy to ensure it is an acceptable pressure for commercial and household distribution. Easy Hydro has developed an innovative solution using a micro hydropower turbine to capture this lost energy and convert it into electrical power that can be used to power water or wastewater treatment facilities.

Fabio Bacci, Innovation Manager, Glan Agua

Finding Easy Hydro was a real innovation achievement for us. Over the past two and a half years, we worked alongside Easy Hydro on our first installation of their solution at one of the water treatments plants we operate, located in Fethard, Co Tipperary. The installation was essentially a non-invasive retrofit; an existing concrete base and a minor adjustment to the pipework was the extent of the disruption it caused to the works. We were really enthusiastic to be piloting the technology and the installation proved phenomenally successful, generating approximately 30% of the average energy consumption of the plant. Moreover, the microturbine can often feed surplus energy back to the grid.

Based on over 10 years of research and development, Easy Hydro’s expertise enables off-the-shelf pumps to be used as efficient turbines, at a fraction of the cost of conventional turbines and with a shorter lead time. The return on investment can be as low as only two years and the technology can have a life span of over thirty years.

Daniele Novara, CEO, Easy Hydro

Our partnership with Glan Agua allows us to strategically apply our technology to the water and wastewater industry where they are leaders in their field. Glan Agua’s mechanical, electrical, and commissioning expertise coupled with our technology is a natural synergy and has enormous potential for reducing energy costs and carbon footprint in the industry.

Glan Agua and Easy Hydro are launching their strategic alliance at the AEE Europe Energy Conference and Expo in Dublin. The two-day conference brings together energy engineers from industry & business across Europe to openly discuss the challenges of energy efficiency in today’s market.

Fabio Bacci added

Glan Agua are renowned disruptors across the water industry. Bringing the Easy Hydro technology to market, at a time when energy is a premium commodity, is an encouraging prospect. We are already at feasibility, concept or design stages for a number of suitable sites that will replicate the success at Fethard. Glan Agua are earnestly looking forward to working with Easy Hydro in providing renewable energy solutions to the water industry.