Acque SpA has selected IREM SpA to supply its first hydroelectric turbine, marking the utility’s entry into small-scale renewable energy generation.
Acque SpA manages integrated water services, including aqueduct, sewerage and treatment systems, across 55 municipalities in the Lower Valdarno and Valdinievole areas in the Italian provinces of Florence, Lucca and Pisa.
The project is designed to recover energy from existing water infrastructure. A hydroelectric turbine has been installed on an aqueduct at the Vico power plant in Montecatini Terme. The system uses the same water resource intended for drinking supply.
The installation features a Pelton turbine operating under variable flow conditions, ranging from 40 litres per second in winter to 8 litres per second in summer. The system has a net head of 90m and a nominal capacity of 26kW.
According to IREM, its turbines for aqueduct applications comply with European Directive 98/83/EC on water intended for human consumption, as well as national regulations in Italy and France. Each unit is supplied with a declaration of conformity.
The company reports more than 170 hydroelectric turbine installations on drinking water aqueducts worldwide.
IREM generation units, which combine a turbine and grid-parallel switchboard, have obtained certification under CEI 0-21. The company said its systems meet the updated CEI 0-21 (2022-03) requirements, allowing customers to avoid additional commissioning tests.
