iAMP-Hydro: Intelligent asset management platform for operation and maintenance of hydropower plants

Towards a more sustainable future for the EU's hydropower stock

Contexto

iAMP-Hydro is a project aimed at enhancing the operation of existing hydroelectric plants through the development of 6 key outcomes. These outcomes will come together to form iAMP, an innovative Intelligent Asset Management Platform. iAMP will include secure, open, and transparent protocols for data sharing, along with three innovative digital solutions:

• Condition monitoring and predictive maintenance modeling. 
• Ecological status monitoring and water management.
• Improvement in weather and flow forecasting.

These digital solutions will be tested in five real hydroelectric plants, generating strong evidence to support policy decisions that promote the transition to greener and digital hydroelectric energy. iAMP-Hydro will bring advancements to the field of hydroelectric energy, contributing to the sustainable future of this industry. 

Objective

• Monitoring conditions and developing advanced models to predict when and how to perform maintenance on hydroelectric power plants.
• Monitoring biodiversity and ecological status in and around the plants.
• Improvement in the ability to predict weather and water flow to optimize energy production.
• Establishment of secure protocols and standards for collecting and sharing data.
• Use of data to operate and maintain plants more efficiently through artificial intelligence.
• Providing concrete evidence on the current performance of 5 existing hydroelectric plants and how they can be improved in the future. 

Cuerva´s role

Cuerva will play a crucial role in this project by acting as the main demonstrator, providing a set of three hydroelectric plants for the project to develop and verify various advancements.

In Bermejales, the focus will be on exploring hybridization solutions and interoperability with other renewable energy sources, in addition to promoting hydroelectric flexibility solutions and participation in energy markets. This is particularly relevant due to Bermejales' seasonal operation. Flow forecasts will also be carried out, enhancing operational efficiency.

In La Vega plant, advances in planned ecological status monitoring and biodiversity will be validated, contributing to the respect and preservation of the natural environment.

Finally, in the Bérchules plant, undergoing renovation, efforts will focus on preventive maintenance with the aim of restarting its activity in December 2023, enhancing its operation, and extending its lifespan. Cuerva's contributions are essential for the success of the project and will support its technological advancement and sustainability goals.