Enel Green Power S.p.A.

05/23/2023 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 05/23/2023 07:04

Water and sun together: \'solarizing\' hydroelectric infrastructure

23 May 2023

Water and sun together: "solarizing" hydroelectric infrastructure

At the Montelupone hydroelectric power plant in the Marche region, we are building a photovoltaic roof over a diversion channel. It's an innovative solution that does not take up any new land and has many advantages in terms of improved water management, safety and sustainability.

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In the background of our story there's an old water mill from the 14th century. We are in central Italy, specifically in the Marche region, and the mill - which also served as a fortification in its day - is now a picturesque ruin on the River Potenza, whose waters power the Montelupone hydroelectric power plant near Macerata.

It is here that we have just opened the construction site for one of our most innovative projects: a photovoltaic plant, which will be built to partially cover the diversion canal. This is an artificial structure designed to bring water to the power plant and then feed it back into the river.

It is our new way of combining hydropower and solar energy, which are both clean and renewable sources, with a convergence that generates a new type of hybrid, futuristic plant under the silent gaze of the old mill.

 

Direct benefits and co-benefits

The structure will consist of a long roof lined with solar panels, covering the canal for about one kilometer, for a photovoltaic capacity of 1 MW. It's capable of generating power for 450 households, thus avoiding the emission of about 580 tons of CO2 and preventing the consumption of about 300 thousand cubic meters of methane. The panels will be the new generation variety produced by our 3Sun factory in Catania, which is itself completing its transformation into a Gigafactory, the largest in Europe.

The first, most obvious advantage of this "solarization" of the canal is that, in this configuration, the panels do not occupy any additional land. Moreover, the solution also has a reduced impact on the landscape as it covers a man-made canal.

The impact on biodiversity is also negligible: water entering the canal from the River Potenza is filtered at the intake works, with gratings protecting the hydropower plant.

Finally, the shading created by the photovoltaic cover reduces evaporation (i.e., water loss), which would limit both hydropower production and irrigation withdrawal. This valuable and forward-thinking solution has many advantages in the increasingly frequent periods of drought.

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In the background of our story there's an old water mill from the 14th century. We are in central Italy, specifically in the Marche region, and the mill - which also served as a fortification in its day - is now a picturesque ruin on the River Potenza, whose waters power the Montelupone hydroelectric power plant near Macerata.

It is here that we have just opened the construction site for one of our most innovative projects: a photovoltaic plant, which will be built to partially cover the diversion canal. This is an artificial structure designed to bring water to the power plant and then feed it back into the river.

It is our new way of combining hydropower and solar energy, which are both clean and renewable sources, with a convergence that generates a new type of hybrid, futuristic plant under the silent gaze of the old mill.

Direct benefits and co-benefits

The structure will consist of a long roof lined with solar panels, covering the canal for about one kilometer, for a photovoltaic capacity of 1 MW. It's capable of generating power for 450 households, thus avoiding the emission of about 580 tons of CO2 and preventing the consumption of about 300 thousand cubic meters of methane. The panels will be the new generation variety produced by our 3Sun factory in Catania, which is itself completing its transformation into a Gigafactory, the largest in Europe.

The first, most obvious advantage of this "solarization" of the canal is that, in this configuration, the panels do not occupy any additional land. Moreover, the solution also has a reduced impact on the landscape as it covers a man-made canal.

The impact on biodiversity is also negligible: water entering the canal from the River Potenza is filtered at the intake works, with gratings protecting the hydropower plant.

Finally, the shading created by the photovoltaic cover reduces evaporation (i.e., water loss), which would limit both hydropower production and irrigation withdrawal. This valuable and forward-thinking solution has many advantages in the increasingly frequent periods of drought.

Then there is a series of side benefits. The installation of CCTV cameras will be a deterrent against panel theft, but also against illegal water withdrawals and waste spills. Fiber-optic cabling (which is routine for these facilities), on the other hand, will also enable the placement of additional hydraulic sensors, which will be useful in improving the safety of the canal. If water leaks are detected, an automatic mechanism will be triggered immediately. This shuts down the flow upstream, so as to limit any risk of flooding.

The bank upgrades required to install the cover will also improve hydraulic safety: as agreed with the municipality of Montelupone, we will plant an equivalent number of trees to those felled, in a safer area.

 

The solar resources of hydroelectric power plants

The Montelupone project, which is inspired by similar examples already implemented abroad, is the first for our Group. It will soon be followed by one in Narzole, Piedmont (Cuneo), which has already been authorized. This was made possible thanks to the interest of the local government authorities, who recognized its value and were able to apply a simplified authorization process, since it is a pre-existing artificial structure.

At this point our intention is to explore the full potential of our hydropower infrastructure. We plan to develop similar projects wherever possible, not excluding different hybridizations. This is because a hydropower plant, in addition to canals, offers various other large surfaces that are 'free' and suitable for the installation of solar panels. Examples include dams and the load collection tanks placed immediately upstream of the penstocks at hydropower plants (in this case with floating photovoltaic systems).

But the overall goal is a long series of hybridizations among various types of technologies from clean sources, in order to create greater environmental, economic and social sustainability.

" class="FreeText gutter-bottom-small ">

Then there is a series of side benefits. The installation of CCTV cameras will be a deterrent against panel theft, but also against illegal water withdrawals and waste spills. Fiber-optic cabling (which is routine for these facilities), on the other hand, will also enable the placement of additional hydraulic sensors, which will be useful in improving the safety of the canal. If water leaks are detected, an automatic mechanism will be triggered immediately. This shuts down the flow upstream, so as to limit any risk of flooding.

The bank upgrades required to install the cover will also improve hydraulic safety: as agreed with the municipality of Montelupone, we will plant an equivalent number of trees to those felled, in a safer area.

The solar resources of hydroelectric power plants

The Montelupone project, which is inspired by similar examples already implemented abroad, is the first for our Group. It will soon be followed by one in Narzole, Piedmont (Cuneo), which has already been authorized. This was made possible thanks to the interest of the local government authorities, who recognized its value and were able to apply a simplified authorization process, since it is a pre-existing artificial structure.

At this point our intention is to explore the full potential of our hydropower infrastructure. We plan to develop similar projects wherever possible, not excluding different hybridizations. This is because a hydropower plant, in addition to canals, offers various other large surfaces that are 'free' and suitable for the installation of solar panels. Examples include dams and the load collection tanks placed immediately upstream of the penstocks at hydropower plants (in this case with floating photovoltaic systems).

But the overall goal is a long series of hybridizations among various types of technologies from clean sources, in order to create greater environmental, economic and social sustainability.