Hydroelectricity

IED's range of services covers all aspects involved in the development of small hydroelectric power plants that are either decentralised or interconnected to a grid (from pico plants for a capacity of less than 20 kW to small power plants for a capacity of up to several dozen MW), from inventory and identification studies to engineering studies and the supervision of works.

We also provide assistance with the non-technical aspects of projects, such as matters relating to environmental impact, regulations or contracts (repurchase agreements, pricing calculations, etc.).

Inventory and identification studies

We have worked in a variety of contexts, including:


 Sites with a capacity of several dozen kW in the northern provinces of Laos, with the aim of using local resources to supply electricity to villages,
 Sites with a capacity ranging from 5 kW to 5 MW in several provinces of the Philippines, for development by private operators,
 Sites with a capacity ranging from 500 kW to 10 MW, to be developed for tea factories in East Africa,
 Researching and evaluating new hydroelectric power plants with an installed capacity of 1 MW or more in three French départements: Isère, Savoie and Doubs.

Our approach consists in working from the available secondary topographical and hydro-topographical data analysed by our experts at our head office, then mobilising local teams to gather initial data in the field, including technical characteristics such as local demand or resale to the grid.

Feasibility studies

We constantly strive to optimise the structure according to demand (adapting to the shape of the load curve, seasonal variations, etc.). IED manages the technical aspects of these studies (topography, geology, hydrology, civil engineering, electromechanics and electricity) as well as the economic and financial analysis aspects, thanks to a multidisciplinary team and a network of expert associates.

IED conducted a study to identify small privately-financed hydroelectric power plants in the Philippines. The aim of this study was to select two new small hydroelectric power plant projects, identify a project structure through a promoter and prepare the mobilisation of international and national funds.


Assistance with the technical and socio-economic aspects of setting up infrastructures

Energy recovery from sanitation and drinking water supply networks,
 Expertise and rehabilitation of hydraulic structures,
 Supervision and monitoring of works,
 Environmental assessments, institutional and regulatory studies, financial and tax analyses.

In rural electrification contexts, it is important to us to maximise the impact of our projects on the local populations, by ensuring in particular that people living close to the structures have access to the services and by mobilising financial assistance as often as possible.
 
We also provide services to private investors.