ClearPower Global has received authorisation to develop a hydropower project within Peru’s Tinajones water system, with a planned investment of more than $35 million.
The initial development is expected to provide approximately 20MW of generating capacity. ClearPower estimates that the project could produce up to 184GWh of renewable electricity annually.
Hydropower turbines planned for Tinajones system
ClearPower was selected by the Olmos Tinajones Special Project, known as PEOT, to recover energy from suitable sections of the existing water infrastructure. PEOT is an agency of Peru’s Lambayeque Regional Government.
The Tinajones system supplies water to farms and communities in the Chancay-Lambayeque valley. PEOT is responsible for operating and maintaining the major system, which supports irrigation across more than 87,000 hectares, according to the organisation’s institutional information.
ClearPower plans to place modular turbines at locations where differences in elevation or water pressure can be used to generate electricity. The company says the equipment will be configured to preserve the system’s primary water-delivery function.
Project includes 30-year concession
The authorisation includes a 30-year concession, after which the installed infrastructure is expected to revert to PEOT. ClearPower will assume responsibility for operating and maintaining the hydropower equipment during the concession period.
The company says PEOT will receive at least PEN1.5 million annually from electricity generated by the project. The final payment will depend on the output and commercial arrangements associated with the installed sites.
ClearPower also expects the development to create employment and contracting opportunities for businesses in the Lambayeque region. A detailed construction schedule and expected commissioning date have not yet been announced.
Existing water infrastructure provides energy opportunity
ClearPower’s technology is designed to generate electricity from water already moving through canals, aqueducts, pipelines and controlled releases. This approach can recover hydraulic energy without requiring the construction of a conventional dam or reservoir.
Michael Prendergast, ClearPower Global co-founder and managing partner, said the technology was developed for complex operating water systems.
“ClearPower’s ability to install and turn on the energy for a complex system like PEOT, without disrupting operations, is what our technology was built for.”
The initial Tinajones sites will be configured to provide approximately 20MW, according to ClearPower. The company says PEOT has also identified possible locations for further expansion, subject to technical and operating conditions.
Modular hydropower targets unused pressure and flow
In-conduit and small-scale hydropower systems generate electricity from pressure or elevation changes that already exist within water infrastructure. They can be installed where sufficient flow is available without interfering with the infrastructure’s principal purpose.
ClearPower says its turbine platform builds on technology with more than 15 years of operating history, including installations in Norway and France. The company combines modular equipment with engineering specific to the water pressure, flow and physical layout of each site.
Project adds to hydropower development in South America
The Tinajones proposal combines renewable electricity generation with existing irrigation and water-supply infrastructure. This may reduce the amount of additional civil engineering required compared with a standalone hydropower development.
PEOT’s authorisation was reportedly issued after an assessment of the project’s technical, legal and administrative documentation. The scheme will still need to progress through detailed design, implementation and any additional permitting required for construction and electricity generation.
ClearPower has not yet disclosed the number of turbines planned or how the proposed generating capacity will be distributed across the Tinajones system. Further details are available in the company’s project announcement.
Frequently asked questions
What is ClearPower planning at the Tinajones water system?
ClearPower plans to install modular hydropower turbines at suitable locations within Peru’s Tinajones water system to generate electricity from existing water flows and elevation changes.
How much power could the Tinajones hydropower project generate?
ClearPower describes the initial project as approximately 20MW and estimates that it could generate up to 184GWh of renewable electricity annually.
How much will ClearPower invest in the project?
ClearPower says it plans to invest more than $35 million in the initial Tinajones hydropower development.
Will the hydropower project affect water supplies?
ClearPower says the turbines will use suitable pressure and elevation changes while preserving the Tinajones system’s primary role of delivering water to farms and communities.
How long is the Tinajones concession?
The project includes a 30-year concession. The installed infrastructure is expected to revert to PEOT when the concession ends.
