Innovations in hydropower like small-scale power plants, pumped storage, modernization, and technology upgrades improve operational efficiency and power generation capacity. This industry report focuses on the top 10 hydropower trends based on our analysis of 487 hydropower startups and scaleups. They include aquatic life preservation and novel turbines as well as performance analysis and artificial channeling. Read more to explain all these trends and discover how they address the growing demand for heat and electricity.
Innovation Map outlines the Top 10 Hydropower Trends & 19 Promising Startups
For this in-depth research on the Top 10 Hydropower Trends & Startups, we analyzed a sample of 487 global startups & scaleups. This data-driven research provides innovation intelligence that helps you improve strategic decision-making by giving you an overview of emerging technologies in the hydropower industry.
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These insights are derived by working with our Big Data & Artificial Intelligence-powered StartUs Insights Discovery Platform, covering 3 790 000+ startups & scaleups globally. As the world’s largest resource for data on emerging companies, the SaaS platform enables you to identify relevant technologies and industry trends quickly & exhaustively. In the Hydropower Innovation Map below, you get a comprehensive overview of the innovation trends & startups that impact your company.
Tree Map reveals the Impact of the Top 10 Hydropower Trends
Based on the Hydropower Innovation Map, the Tree Map below illustrates the impact of the Top 10 Hydropower Trends in 2023. Startups and scaleups are developing solutions to drive advances in power generation and energy storage. Upgrading existing hydropower plants is one of the major trends in the industry to allow power plants to generate more electricity with greater flexibility. For example, plants leverage adjustable diaphragm, ejector power plants, or helicoid penstocks to improve efficiency. Power components like current-controlled rotors, double-fed induction machines, hydrokinetic turbines, and pumps as turbines help improve the control of electricity inflow and outflow. Other trends in development are performance analysis and predictive maintenance, ensuring the monitoring and safety of the hydropower plants. Digital twin technology, real-time simulations, and numerical cloning further improve infrastructure and heavy machinery setup.
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Top 10 Hydropower Trends in 2023
- Hydropower Technology Upgrades
- Modular Power
- Marine and Hydrokinetic Technology
- Novel Turbines
- Power Injectors
- Performance Analytics
- Aquatic Life Preservation
- Simulations
- Dynamic Pumped Hydropower
- Artificial Channeling
Global Startup Heat Map covers 487 Hydropower Startups & Scaleups
The Global Startup Heat Map below highlights the global distribution of the 487 exemplary startups & scaleups that we analyzed for this research. Created through the StartUs Insights Discovery Platform, the Heat Map reveals high startup activity in the US and Europe. Below, you get to meet 19 out of these 487 promising startups & scaleups as well as the solutions they develop. These hydropower startups are hand-picked based on criteria such as founding year, location, funding raised, & more. Depending on your specific needs, your top picks might look entirely different.
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Top 10 Hydropower Trends in 2023
1. Hydropower Technology Upgrades
Generating electricity through renewable energy sources is challenging due to climate change and the accompanying carbon footprint. Novel hydropower technologies provide greater flexibility over an extended range of hydraulic conditions. Recent advances in turbine technology, such as permanent magnet generators and fish-safe turbines, increase production capacity and output. Moreover, energy storage solutions and battery hybrids enable later consumption and transportation of the generated power, making it more efficient and reliable.
Hydrosyst makes Permanent Magnet Generators
Hydrosyst is a UK-based startup that manufactures generators with permanent magnets for hydropower plants. Its low-speed generators, medium-speed generators, and generators with steam turbines (cogenerators), which work in horizontal and vertical axes. Permanent magnet generators are small in size and have high power in comparison with conventional generators. They reach high power at low speed, making them suitable for electricity production. The startup provides the technology to both existing and new hydroelectric power stations.
Littoral Power designs Modular Turbines
Littoral Power Systems is a US-based startup that manufactures and installs hydropower turbines and systems. The startup’s advanced turbines like Reakt, TorrStrom, and FlexStream Crossflow, enable small hydropower systems to improve their efficiency. It uses h-modulor system to build civil works, fish passages, and turbomachinery. This makes it easy to upgrade existing sites and power non-powered dams. The startup also offers a remote hydro plant management system, k-IOT, that integrates data feeds on water availability, weather, operating performance, and the latest spot energy prices.
2. Modular Power
Modular power generation systems make deployment and scaling of hydropower plants. To aid this, startups develop modular power systems, like gravity hydraulic machines, water wheels, and Archimedes screws. Turbines, such as very low-head, hydrokinetic turbines, and pumps as turbines (PATs), also generate more power and reduce operational costs. Technologies like current-controlled rotors and double-fed induction machines allow turbines to respond quickly to changes in load and to maintain a constant frequency. Modular solutions thus help ensure the stability of the electrical grid and provide precise control over energy generation.
Airstier Technology manufactures Modular Turbines
Airstier Technology is a German startup that makes E-Machine 4.0, a modular turbine for efficient, climate-caring, and industry 4.0-enabled for the hydropower industry. It features a motor body, frequency converters, power electronics, control, and sensors. This ensures an improved performance curve at any speed range, saving system and installation space. It also finds use as a generator that produces electricity without having to rely on a gearbox. The system is offered to be installed in new hydropower projects as well as existing plants to make the operation economical.
Matel offers Frameless Permanent Magnet Generators
Matel is an Indian startup that provides a frameless permanent magnet synchronous motor for micro hydropower. The startup offers a brushless direct current (BLDC) motor and controller as well as an IE5 industrial motor. The motors are industrial-efficiency compliant, as defined by the International Electrotechnical Committee (IEC), and consume very less energy. These motors are also small in size to provide greater flexibility and lower infrastructure costs for new micro-hydropower plants and renewal of existing hydro plants.
3. Marine and Hydrokinetic Technology
Wave and tidal power represent a huge opportunity to create reliable, clean energy. MHK energy is gaining traction as a promising addition to renewable energy sources, especially in coastal regions. This technology harnesses the energy from ocean currents, tides, and waves to generate electricity. Barrage technology, tidal stream generators, and instream hydrokinetic technology are some of the recent advances in MHK technology.
Zoexpower simplifies Offshore Energy Generation
Zoex is a UK-based startup that decentralizes wave power and harnesses it for offshore energy generation. Its core technology, ActiveFender, uses pre-existing marine structures and turns them into clean energy devices. This provides power, protection, and stability to marine structures. Zoex’s solution also enhances power capture, utilization, and survivability. It also identifies near-term commercial opportunities, particularly in aquaculture fisheries markets, offshore energy platforms, and breakwater structures.
Energyminer develops Hydrokinetic Plants
Energyminer is a German startup that develops and operates kinetic hydropower plants in rivers. The startup’s hydrokinetic device, Energyfish, generates electricity out of floating water without any negative ecological impact. It features an overlapping arranged fish rack design which offers full fish protection. The device also features an automatic diving function and an adjustable diffuser to save itself in dangerous situations. It connects to small land stations to feed the power to a grid.
4. Novel Turbines
Hydropower plants are implementing new turbine designs to enhance efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and sustainability. Innovative designs such as very-low-head turbines, vortex turbines, Alden turbines, and minimum gap runner turbines enable power plants to generate more power without altering the water flow rate. For instance, very-low-head turbines work efficiently in low-water head environments, making them ideal for sites that have low water resources. Alden turbines minimize fish injury and improve efficiency, while vortex turbines are perfect for low-speed flows. Further, minimum gap runner turbines use variable gap technology to enhance efficiency and minimize material costs.
Finnrunner develops 3D-Printed Turbines
Finnrunner is a Finnish startup that offers resource-efficient solutions like the adoption of composite materials and additive manufacturing for turbine and equipment production. The main products of the startup are Pelton Turbine, Francis Turbine, Kaplan Turbine, Crossflow Turbine, and Composite Turbines. The startup provides its products and services to existing hydropower plants as well as small and medium-scale new hydropower plants. These technologies enable energy companies to achieve sustainability in their operations by unifying and reducing the weight of manufactured parts.
BluPower designs Plug-and-Play Turbines
BluPower is an Indian startup that enables reliable energy access through decentralized micro hydro solutions. The startup’s Vortex Turbine features a nature-inspired design that maximizes turbine efficiency. Due to its plug-and-play installation and fewer moving parts, the turbine assures low maintenance, making it more sustainable and economical. The technology also ensures no harm to ecology and zero disturbance to river flow as well as is installable in small canals and streams. The project is specially designed for rural communities where the power supply is highly dependent on unreliable sources.
5. Power Injectors
Water pressure and flow are two critical factors determining turbine capacity. At lower levels, the limited run of water affects the performance of turbines. Power injectors like axial water injection, tangential water injection, and two-phase air-water injection work by introducing a high-pressure water jet into the turbine’s intake. This creates a venturi effect that draws in more water. They are used in both low-head and high-head hydropower systems to increase the plant’s overall power output.
Powerturbines makes Injected Hydraulic Turbines
Powerturbines is a Spanish startup manufacturing a wide range of hydraulic turbines that adapt to various water flow rates and pressures. The startup’s nano turbine, battery charging turbines, and grid-tied turbines are installed in parallel with pressure-reducing valves (PRVs). This reduces the necessity to periodically replace the batteries while it also injects energy into the grid. The technology benefits river dams, irrigation facilities, and rural homes through small-scale power generation.
6. Performance Analytics
Powerplants leverage performance analytics to evaluate various aspects and determine their efficiency, reliability, and sustainability. Technologies like hydro efficiency analysis and combination curve optimization help in analyzing the performance output and capacity utilization of plants. It also helps in analyzing the water flow rate as well as head and turbine efficiency to determine plant power output. Numerical cloning allows hydropower plants to create digital replicas of hydropower plants and study their behavior under various operating conditions. Such solutions identify potential design issues and optimize overall performance.
Wegaw enables Hydropower Data Monitoring
Wegaw is a Swiss startup that provides hydropower generation and trading optimization through snow and water data monitoring. The startup leverages earth observation, remote sensing, and machine learning to enable both historical and real-time analysis of snow and water data. The data is available based on given regions and it then forecasts the energy production for specific locations. The startup’s products, Snow Water Equivalent (SWE) and Snow Height (HS), use interactive maps and graphs to discover the relationship between snow characteristics and downstream flow at different times throughout the year. The startup’s solution allows energy companies to reduce renewable energy imbalances, increase trade efficiencies, and detach reliance on fossil fuels.
Motrhys advances Hydropower Performance Safety
Motrhys is a French startup that offers solutions for performance monitoring and safety of hydro equipment. The startup’s software, Hydroflow, connects to existing acoustic flow metering systems. to extend the range and accuracy in in-stationary conditions. Motrhys’ other products, Hydrosurgeand Premoniss, ensure penstock safety with transient pressure monitoring and monitor mechanical and hydraulic penstock performance and safety. The startup further applies various algorithms to perform signal processing and carry out real-time hydro diagnosis. This enables the early detection of pipeline anomalies such as deposits, clogging, leaks, and solid transport.
7. Aquatic Life Preservation
Hydropower development significantly impacts society and community economically, environmentally, and socially. Preserving aquatic life is a key priority in existing and novel deployments. Advances in turbine designs like hydrokinetic, very low heat, and minimum gap runner turbines help aquatic life to migrate safely through hydro plants. The growing use of pumps as turbines as well as fish ladders makes it possible to generate electricity and maintain ecological balance.
Kinetic NRG provides Environment-Friendly Rotors
Kinetic NRG is an Australian startup that develops Micro Hydropower Kit, a lightweight power-generation solution. It utilizes an environmentally friendly rotor to produce more power from low-velocity water flow. The solution features a modular design, transportable structures, an integrated power module (IPM), and alternating current (AC) electricity balancing through a smart power management system. This makes it grid ready and ideal for remote and private locations.
GenH ensures Safe Fish Migration
GenH is a US-based startup focusing on clean energy technology development with modular hydropower systems such as its products, Adaptive Hydro, Adaptive HydroENV, Kinetic Hydro, and NomadEV. These products electrify non-powered dams and canal heads, eliminating construction or investment in fixed infrastructure. It virtually removes dams for sedimentation removal, downstream oxygen, and nutrient replenishment, and safe passage for fish migration.
8. Simulations
With the use of real-time simulations, digital twins, and smart modeling and control, startups minimize the operating costs of hydropower plants. These technologies also enable real-time predictive maintenance with data and analytics, delivering operators with real-time insights into asset conditions and improving maintenance planning. It also aids plant operators to reduce maintenance costs, increase uptime, and extend equipment lifespan by allowing for proactive, targeted maintenance.
Annea offers Digital Twin-based Predictive Maintenance
Annea is a UK-based startup builds a digital twin platform for predictive maintenance. It uses the internet of things (IoT) to enable condition-based predictive and prescriptive maintenance for hydropower-generating machines. The platform’s dashboard provides a comprehensive view of all machines. This helps hydropower plant owners to better manage their assets through failure prediction, energy production forecasting, performance optimization, and more.
Hydrogrid provides Real-Time Simulations
Hydrogrid is an Austrian startup that digitizes hydropower plants. It leverages self-learning and machine learning (ML) algorithms to forecast inflow and price, deploy optimal dispatch plans, and provide executive reporting. The startup’s platform, Hydrogrid Insight, delivers detailed insights in real-time to hydropower plants. For this, it uses programmable logic controllers (PLCs), supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA), and application programming interface (API)-level data integration. As a result, it allows older power plants without remote connectivity and modern plants to implement real-time plant modeling.
9. Dynamic Pumped Hydropower
Pumped hydropower is a type of hydroelectric energy storage system that combines two water reservoirs at different elevations to generate power as water moves down from one to another. Technologies like electric, hybrid, and variable-speed hydropower as well as battery hybrids are making the storage and distribution of electricity more convenient and efficient. Innovations in pump design and materials increase the efficiency of pumped hydropower systems. It reduces the amount of energy required to pump the water. SCADA systems also allow real-time monitoring and control, improving efficiency and flexibility.
RheEnergise builds High-Density Hydro Solutions
RheEnergise is a UK-based startup bringing innovation to pumped energy storage with high-density hydro plants. It uses a high-density fluid that enables hydroelectric projects to operate on low hills rather than high mountains. This fluid allows smaller project deployment and, in turn, reduces construction costs while minimizing footprint. The startup provides its services to near-shore hydropower plants and also river-based power plants.
Mine Storage offers Grid-Scale Energy Storage
Mine Storage is a Swedish startup that provides flexible grid-scale energy storage to support zero-carbon grids. The startup utilizes two elements to store electrical energy — water and gravity from underground mines with high heads. This provides a closed-loop solution using pumped hydropower technology in an underground setting. It also acts as a grid frequency regulator or as a behind-the-meter solution to support large energy producers or energy-intensive industries.
10. Artificial Channeling
Artificial channeling leverages man-made channels like canals or tunnels to redirect water flow to optimize the power generation potential of plants. Aqueducts, air-cushioned underground reservoirs, pipe power, hydroelectric basin, and spillways are some technologies that are substituting power generation, which otherwise only supported large water bodies. This, in turn, allows energy providers to deliver electricity to remote areas without disrupting their ecosystems.
Ged-Co provides Run-of-River Hydropower Systems
GedCo is an Iranian startup that focuses on the distributed generation of hydroelectricity from water streams like canals and rivers using an innovative microturbine, Floating Drum Turbine. It consists of an undershot waterwheel floated on a water stream using a buoyant skid anchored to the water bankside with cables or hinged arms. The waterwheel and its coupled generator are rotated by the water stream that generates electricity. The startup thus provides a low-cost distributed generation of hydroelectricity suitable for electricity suppliers, local power distributors, and consumers in remote areas.
Norris Turbines makes Cost-Effective Hydrokinetic Turbines
Norris Turbines is a startup from Singapore that makes hydrokinetic energy more affordable. The startup relies on tidal energy to generate electricity without building dams or barrages. Its device is installed in slow-flowing artificial water bodies to power individual houses or multiple devices together to power farms and businesses. This allows Norris Turbines’ clients to save infrastructure costs and enhance power plant deployment flexibility.
Discover all Hydropower Trends, Technologies & Startups
The hydropower industry leverages AI, digital twins, and numerical cloning to improve plant operations and monitoring. This ensures more controlled power generation at low costs. Hydropower also plays a crucial role in decarbonizing the grid and addressing the intermittency of renewable sources. Future innovations in hydropower aim to bring devices directly into household pipelines to generate power on a smaller scale. Among others, modular power plants, small-scale power generation systems, and production forecasts will transform the sector as we know it today”. The Hydropower Trends & Startups outlined in this report only scratch the surface of trends that we identified during our data-driven innovation & startup scouting process. Identifying new opportunities & emerging technologies to implement into your business goes a long way in gaining a competitive advantage.
