MOE > Environmental Policy > ETV > Small hydropower generation technology field
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Target Technology Fields Fields Currently Targeted Small hydropower generation technology field Global warming mitigation technology field (lighting energy reduction technologies) Human waste treatment in natural areas: human waste treatment technology field Organic wastewater treatment technology field Water environment improvement technologies in enclosed coastal seas field Water purification technologies for lakes and reservoirs field Heat-island mitigation technology field (technologies for reducing air conditioning loads by using building envelope systems) Heat-island mitigation technology field (heat pump air-conditioning systems using ground source heat, wastewater heat, etc.) Simplified VOC, etc. measurement technology field
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Target Technology Fields

Small hydropower generation technology field

Outline of the Field
Background and Related Information
List of Verified Technologies
Low head overshot water-wheel generation system for use in open channelsLow head overshot water-wheel generation system for use in open channels
Example of control using multiple water-wheel generatorsExample of control using multiple water-wheel generators
List of Verified Technologies
Outline of the Field

Outline of Technologies

The target technologies are those for small-scale small-output power generation using potential energy produced by the flow of mountain streams, rivers and drainage channels and the head (those of which the output is not more than 30,000 kW). Although the initial cost tends to be higher than that of large-scale hydropower generation, its development potential in Japan is fairly large. Improvement of its payability should help to control global warming.

Examples of Target Technologies

Inventions or innovations relating to water-wheels, generators, step-up gears, control equipment and electrical equipment and also inventions or innovations relating to supply and demand of independent operation.

Reference Materials

For users
Small hydropower generation offers a purely domestic renewable energy without producing CO2 in its process. It can use existing facilities (water supply and sewerage facilities, sabo dams and irrigation channels among others) without alteration and its environmental load during the construction process is small. It is characterized by little power output fluctuation, promising a stable supply of power day and night all year round.

The ETV Program assists the selection of technologies suitable for the needs of users by means of disclosing the results of technology verification tests conducted by third party organizations regarding an effective head, flow volume, generation output, efficiency, noise and other relevant issues and providing various types of information required to judge the effectiveness of individual technologies.

For verification applicants
The ETV Program assists the dissemination and wider use of effective technologies of verification applicants by means of bringing out the potential needs of clients through the introduction of the outline of environmental technologies to general clients to meet their needs to deal with problems, the disclosure of the results of technology verification tests conducted by third party organizations and the provision of various types of information required by users to select technologies.

A questionnaire survey with verification applicants in the past received such replies as “The number of enquiries about the technology has increased since verification” and “There have been certain positive effects on sales promotion and technological development activities”. Another reply concerning the issued logo was that “The logo has been attached to the product pamphlet, technical reports, company brochure, and company website”.

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