PAN European Small Hydro Power Atlas (SHPA)

PAN European Small Hydro Power Atlas (SHPA) is a web-based spatial decision support system from GECOsistema for preliminary feasibility assessment of run-of-river small hydropower plants across the European Union. The aim is to make feasibility assessment much quicker and more affordable, which the provider notes may be a critical aspect in developing small plants.

It works at two levels. A Europe-wide map shows potential energy production along the river network for predefined diversion lengths, combining topography, river flow, environmental flow releases and constraints such as distance from the electricity grid. At a chosen site, the user sets project parameters (withdrawal, diversion length, distance from the grid, turbine type, feed-in tariff) and the tool returns a preliminary check of plant sizing, costs and expected production, with hydrology, environmental impact and grid-connection indicators. Sites and alternatives can be ranked and compared. Its modelling framework takes into account the average flow regime under current and future climate conditions and, linked to seasonal river flow forecasts, short- to medium-term hydropower production.

The pre-calculated layers were processed in Python (GDAL) from open European datasets: the EU-DEM 25 m elevation model (a hybrid of SRTM and ASTER GDEM satellite elevation data), Corine Land Cover, the JRC European Settlement Map, the JRC CCM2 river and catchment database, Natura 2000 sites and SMHI E-HYPE discharge series. The application is built with OpenLayers and MapServer, runs on Amazon Web Services, and was developed with funding from the EU FP7 project SWITCH-ON. Intended users include hydropower developers and investors, public authorities assessing production for permits, taxation or environmental impact assessment, professional associations and equipment manufacturers.