Empowering smart renewable cities through hydropower technology in urban drinking water supply systems

Introduction

LIFE TURBINES aims to boost the development of Smart Cities and promote decarbonisation of drinking water supply in order to achieve the European Union's 2050 target, the Green Deal, and the new REPowerEU Plan. The project focuses on the generation of hydroelectric power by taking advantage of the excess pressures that occur in the drinking water supply network of cities to generate electricity from a renewable resource such as water.

Objectives

LIFE TURBINES contributes to the specific objectives of the Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation sub-programme, with the aim to:

1. Shift towards a sustainable, energy-efficient, renewable energy-based, climate-neutral, and resilient economy.
2. Contribute to sustainable development.

Demonstration of Technology

LIFE TURBINES will demonstrate that any point where there is a difference in pressure can be used to obtain hydroelectric energy. Depending on the technical characteristics of each case, the energy can be used for different public and private purposes.

The project will address four case studies, located in Spain and Italy, each with different technical characteristics. Key aspects include:

• Optimisation of the hydraulic machine selected.
• Use of the energy in each case study.

These considerations will provide the project with a great capacity for replication.

Communication and Dissemination Strategy

The project will also have a strategy for communication, dissemination, and transfer of results that will ensure a wide implementation of micro-hydro systems in the distribution network in Europe and beyond.

The ultimate aim of the LIFE TURBINES development is to:

• Contribute to climate-neutral cities.
• Lighten the load on the electricity system.
• Reduce energy dependence.

The objective of the project's communication plan will be to promote renewable energy production in drinking water supply networks, consolidating it as a sustainable, autonomous, and decentralised technology that responds to the energy consumption needs of the European population.