Hydro turbines produce electricity using the potential and kinetic (renewable) energy from the falling/flowing water. Refer to the Small Hydro System Description schematic for more information.

Software & Data
The RETScreen Software Hydro Power Model can be used worldwide to evaluate the energy production and savings, costs, emission reductions, financial viability and risk for central-grid, isolated-grid and off-grid hydro power (hydroelectric) projects, ranging in size from large dams with multi-turbines to small and mini hydro installations using weirs to small scale single-turbine micro hydro systems. The model addresses both run-of-river and water storage (reservoir) developments, and it incorporates sophisticated formulae for calculating efficiencies of a wide variety of hydro turbines, such as Kaplan, Francis, Propeller, Pelton, Turgo and Cross-flow models. In RETScreen, hydrological data are specified as a flow-duration curve, and costs can be estimated using an advanced formula costing method tool. The software (available in multiple languages) also includes product, project, hydrology and climate databases, and a detailed user manual.

Click here to download RETScreen 4 (29 MB).

Training material
Small Hydro Project Analysis - Presentation slides (6.87 MB)
Small Hydro Project Analysis - Voice & slides - part 1/4 (1.80 MB)
Small Hydro Project Analysis - Voice & slides - part 2/4 (1.62 MB)
Small Hydro Project Analysis - Voice & slides - part 3/4 (1.91 MB)
Small Hydro Project Analysis - Voice & slides - part 4/4 (1.83 MB)
Small Hydro Project Analysis - Speaker's notes

e-Textbook / Guides
Small Hydro Project Analysis - e-Textbook chapter (1.31 MB)
Small Hydro Project Model (Version 3) - User manual (1.11 MB)

Case studies / Templates
Power - Hydro turbine - 62 kW - Isolated-grid / Canada
Power - Hydro turbine - 220 kW / Canada
Power - Hydro turbine - 2,000 kW
Power - Hydro turbine - 2,900 kW - Isolated-grid & internal load / Canada
Power - Hydro turbine - 6,500 kW / China
Power - Hydro turbine - 6,700 kW / Canada
Power - Hydro turbine - 8,800 kW / Guatemala
Power - Hydro turbine - Residential - 4.0 kW - Off-grid / Canada