Konferensartikel

Within the EC-funded research project HYLOW - Hydropower converters for very low head differences a floating energy converter - a so called Free Stream Energy Converter (FSEC) - for the energetic utilisation of currents with slow flow velocities (< 2.0 m/s) has been developed and will be optimized until 2012. In order to estimate the hydropower potential in case of deployment of the FSEC; a potential analysis exemplarily for the northern part of the river Ems; at the border between Netherlands and Germany; was performed. Here; the environmentally compatible hydropower potential has a special importance. As expected; this potential is much lower than the theoretical hydropower potential. In addition to the efficiency of the energy converter; also the required water depth; existing protection areas and other uses are the main reason for the difference between the mentioned potentials in this investigation area.

Estuary River Ems; Environmentally compatible hydropower potential; Flow velocity