Prospecting for Micro Hydropower Sites On African Rivers From Satellite

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Innovate UK
Innovate UK
Innovate UK
Innovate UK
Innovate UK

£1,230,720

June 30, 2017

June 30, 2019

It is possible to identify, from satellite, the gradient of a river and its flow rate at any individual point, then to make calculations, based on the operating parameters of any pre-selected hydropower kit, about the cost of installation and pay-back periods for hydropower generation at that site. By surveying whole river valleys from satellite, and identifying large numbers of sites suitable for that pre-selected kit, we aim to disrupt the current industry model which results in the bespoke design of one-off run-of-river hydropower installations, and to bring economies of scale, in manufacturing and financing, that have been so successful with other renewable energy technologies, but which have proven so elusive to the hydropower industry. This technology will be useful in the UK and other developed countries, but its real potential for "mushroom-shaped" growth, is in the developing world. As a test-bed of the potential for UK exports across the developing world, this project focuses on Uganda, where the population's access to electricity, especially in remote areas, is less than 10%. Global investment players, both public and private, are very active in driving access to electricity. This is a growth market on a global scale and one which can uniquely be accessed from space.