←

Potentials, solutions
and success factors for
the digital hydropower
plant’s future

A few weeks instead of years:

How new technologies

revolutionize the digital
transformation of small
and medium-sized
hydropower plants
Read in this Hydro Pocket
white paper:

Contents

Small plants, great potential—an important 2

building block in the energy mix

Digitalization means connectivity— 2

connectivity enables efficiency gains

State of the art—small hydropower plants 4

with great potential for digitalization

The pioneering work is done—first solutions 5

available on the market

The future of the digital small hydropower 6

plant with Hydro Pocket

Hydro Pocket makes data actionable and 7

increases efficiency

Fit for digitalization in only 10 weeks 8

with Hydro Pocket ↗

1
 Small plants, Internet of Things—
a driver of digital transformation
great potential—
an important building block Small and medium-sized hydropower The Internet of Things (abb.: IoT) enables the connection of physical
plants have been playing a considerable
in the energy mix role in the mix of renewable energies for and virtual objects and lets them cooperate through information
decades. With their steady energy
production over a longer period of time, and communication technologies. It connects different ecosystems.
they enable a stable local power supply.
Digital connectivity is essential to Popular applications can be found, for example, in vehicles, in private
integrate small hydropower plants into
the future smart grids in the medium use (connected devices and applications in the smart home, fitness
term and to tap into the plants’ full
potential in terms of availability and trackers, etc.) and in the monitoring of industrial processes. The
power generation.
Internet of Things enables direct communication between machines,

plants and users.

Digitalization
Connecting technical systems is not new—
in many industries the digital transforma-
tion has already taken place. Logistics and
means
service intervals, for example, are control-
led automatically to make processes more
efficient. People, machines and industrial
connectivity—
processes are connected intelligently.
Our everyday lives are becoming more connectivity enables
and more digital, too. The Internet of Things
(IoT) already dominates many aspects of efficiency gains
our lives, and smart home applications are
becoming increasingly important.

2 3
 The growing popularity of IoT applica-
tions due to the often more affordable or
entirely new products and services made
possible by connectivity.
Translated into the world of connected
hydropower plants, this results in the
following profitable use cases:
• Access of performance and opera-
tional data in real time, anytime
State of the art—
small hydropower plants with great
potential for digitalization
A small hydropower plant needs to
meet two requirements:
First, actionable data on the condition
of the individual plant components
must be available. Second, this data
must be connected, processed and
made available through a mobile
device.
However, many hydropower plants have
outdated parts that are not IoT compa-
tible or lack measuring technology in the
relevant components. In addition, such
plants may not yet have reached the
required level of connectivity and their
internet connection may not be sufficient.
Therefore, the installed technology and
the plant-specific age are often the
biggest challenges in digitalization.
A partial or even complete modernization
of the small hydropower plant would
be necessary in such cases.
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• More efficient operation by reducing
unplanned downtime and inspection
efforts
• Fast alarm and warning response time
These functions are mostly standard in
large modern hydropower plants today
—but not yet in the small hydropower
sector where many plants still run offline.
Why is that?
Another important point is security.
Since every part of the plant is connect-
ed to the communication system and
thus allows direct access to all process
data and parameters, the conception
and implementation of a cybersecurity
strategy is crucial. Modern automation
solutions with a variety of global inter-
faces between different systems must
be able to effectively protect data
streams, device access and communica-
tion channels against cyberattacks.
It is also important to consider that
small hydropower plants are not
standard products; each plant is unique
regarding turbine, generator, control
system and other components. This is
why individual IoT solutions are needed.
The operators’ individual requirements
profiles must be considered, too, since
the needs of an energy supplier differ
from those of an industrial owner and
user or a private individual—not an easy
task for potential suppliers.
These obstacles to the digitalization
of small hydropower plants must be
weighed against the shown potentials
for plant operators and the future
significance as regenerative energy
source. This leads directly to the success
factors for the digital transformation of
small hydropower plants.
The pioneering
work is done—
first solutions available on the market
potential for digitalization
For several years, applications for the
digitalization of small hydropower plants
have been on the market. They address
the factors mentioned but are alaways
a compromise between functional scope,
customizability and effort.
First to mention are applications by
original equipment manufacturers
(OEMs), which offer complementary
products for their hardware/software.
Currently, they focus strongly on the
topic of “condition monitoring”—remote
access is usually implemented through a
software that establishes a connection
to the hydropower plant’s computer. This
software may lead to an increased secu-
rity risk if third parties gain access to the
plant control system through it.
Digital Transformation
Success factors
1. Simple and fast retrofit
of older existing plants
2. Cost-benefit analysis to find
the right solution for small plants
3. Consideration of the plant’s
uniqueness
4. Highest level of cybersecurity
5. Simple and intuitive handling
of the digital application
Alternatively, larger energy suppliers with
the necessary know-how and resources
developed proprietary solutions that
build on IoT applications already integra-
ted in the company. Usually, already exis-
ting systems are expanded by interfaces
and applications for small hydropower
plants. This results in proprietary systems
whose software maintenance needs to
be ensured long-term.
In addition, simple retrofit solutions by
third-party suppliers with a limited scope
of sensors and an integrated connectiv-
ity module can be found on the market.
Here, performance and functional scope
are mostly very limited, and the focus is
on the low installation effort.
 The future of the digital Hydro Pocket makes data
small hydropower plant actionable and increases
with Hydro Pocket efficiency
To enable operators of small hydropower plants to benefit from Hydro Pocket is an all-in-one solution that offers measurable
digitalization and increase their plants’ efficiency, a team of added value and improves the operation of small hydropower
Hydro Pocket experts developed the IoT solution Hydro Pocket. plants.

Hydro Pocket is an internet-based applica-
tion that allows operators and owners of
small hydropower plants to monitor, analyze
and manage their plants anytime and from
anywhere. From now on, “smart” perfor-
mance data management is possible, and
the organization of maintenance tasks is
significantly simpler.
Hydro Pocket allows simple and fast con-
nection of existing plants. The digital
application can be customized according
to the plant’s specific requirements and the
retrofit is uncomplicated for the operator.
The functional scope follows he classic
task domains performance and condition
monitoring, service and maintenance and
plant documentation. It includes the following
modules:
1. Plant and performance data—
displays important key performance
indicators such as energy genera-
tion in real time
2. Monitoring and analysis—
focuses on the plant’s condition, the
detection of malfunctions and the
issuing of warnings and alarms in
case of limit value violations

3. Data transformation—
allows insights based on combined
data, virtual signals and automated
signal statistics

For fleet operators, there is a fleet

view in each module, thus enabling
monitoring and optimization across
several plants.

Thanks to the continuous optimiza-

tion and integration of additional
function modules, Hydro Pocket
is always up-to-date and enables
users to optimize their plants in
the long term.

6 7
 Fit for digitalization in
only 10 weeks with Don’t wait:
Hydro Pocket Start digitalization now
Hydro Pocket can be adjusted to individual requirements and In summary, it can be said that the operators of small hydro-
user groups, and configuration is easy thanks to the fast instal- power plants will face many challenges in the years to come.
lation process. The path to the perfect solution is short: receive Digitalization plays a decisive role in this.
the starter kit, install the hardware, have it configured by Voith
It promises practical benefits in almost all offers a holistic digital solution that guaran-
experts, and Hydro Pocket is activated—the journey to digitali-
areas: from the need to increase efficiency tees the optimal operation of small or
zation takes less than 10 weeks! and flexibility, to optimized use of labor and medium-sized hydropower plants in the
knowledge transfer, to safety and moderni- long term and is therefore an important
zation of aging infrastructure. Hydro Pocket lever for the digitalization of the industry.
In addition to around 150 years of hydropower worldwide. The resulting findings and customer
experience from Voith Hydro, the development requirements significantly shape the user ex-
Contact us and learn more about the potential of Hydro Pocket.
of Hydro Pocket is based on the integration perience, the user interface and the functional
and connection of small hydropower plants and technical performance of the product. We look forward to talking to you.

Gustavo Arantes
Product Manager, Hydro Pocket

info@hydropocket.com
www.hydropocket.com
Get in touch
Book your demo

↑ Simple installation of the connectivity module ↑ Example for Hydro Pocket smartphone application

8 9
Hydro Pocket by Voith –
a reliable solution built upon
150 years of experience.
Based on customer insights that we gathered throughout
decades of work in the hydropower environment.
Hydro Pocket by Voith –
a reliable solution built upon
150 years of experience.
Based on customer insights that we gathered throughout
decades of work in the hydropower environment.

Voith Hydro Holding GmbH & Co. KG Voith Hydro Holding GmbH & Co. KG
Alexanderstraße 11 Alexanderstraße 11
89522 Heidenheim 89522 Heidenheim
Germany Germany