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Technically seen, the efficiency of hydropower turbines has reached an optimum of 95 per cent, which makes it the best performer among all other sources of electrical energy production. There are several reasons for this outstanding efficiency. Most important are the physical properties of water. Its combination of density and viscosity allows for comparably low flow velocities and as a consequence small losses in the hydraulic turbine. Furthermore, water in hydropower applications is cold compared to, for example, thermal power plants, thus energy losses due to heat transfer along the water ways do not occur.But hydropower is far more than physics. The automation technology has entered the world of hydropower plants a long time ago. Electrical components go hand in hand with the mechanical parts. Now that the digital age has arrived, the level of digitization in hydropower will further increase and change it on the fundamental level. Digitization will also play a vital role in the energy sector in general – it will change the energy market.As Voith is a full-line supplier covering the entire lifecycle and all the components of new and existing large and small hydropower plants, it is only logical that new products and solutions become developed for the digital hydropower plant. Digital solutions will help energy suppliers to run their hydropower plants even more efficiently or reduce operational costs. In addition, analyzed and interpreted data will allow a much deeper understanding of the machines. Modern technologies will identify anomalies and allow utilizing hydropower assets more effectively and efficiently.“HYBRID PROJECTS SIGNIFY A MAJOR STEP FORWARD IN THE USE OF RENEWABLE ENERGY, AS THEY BALANCE THE FLUCTUATIONS OF POWER DEMAND AND SUPPLY AND ENSURE SYSTEM ADEQUACY ”MAJOR ADVANTAGE: STORAGE CAPABILITY There are two important challenges which have not been adequately considered in the discussion about renewable energies: a sufficiently flexible electricity grid when the renewable power generation through wind and solar is very high. Another challenge is stabilizing the system if little energy is being generated by renewables. Against this background, pumped storage plants are the backbone of the energy transition. They are important for the successful implementation of the energy transition not only in Germany and Europe. Pumped storage power plants are vital for the secure, sustainable and cost-effective supply of renewable energies. Their technology supports an even more efficient use of wind and solar power, permitting renewable energies to be available at any time of the day and making power supply stable and quantifiable. In total, pumped storage plants are eminently suitable for compensating fluctuations between power surpluses and power shortages. They offer the flexibility and fast reaction needed in order to reliably and quickly counterbalance inconsistent quantities of power and varying energy demands. Pumped storage plants are a well-proven technology. Today’s modern pumped storage plants need only thirty seconds to start from a standstill and are the only system able to store energy on an industrial scale like a battery. For this reason they contribute 092 SUSTAINABLE ENERGY