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Wasserbaukolloquium 2009: Wasserkraft im Zeichen des Klimawandels
Dresdener Wasserbauliche Mitteilungen Heft 39
Beyond the Helicon's and the Olganos type small
hydropower plants in Greece
Vassilios G. Stergiopoulos, Alkisti V. Stergiopoulou,
Georgios V. Stergiopoulos
Since the ancient time and the myths of the Helicon's Theogony and of OlganosRiver God, the Helicon Mount of Central Greece and the Macedonian VermionMount regions are generously blessed with karst watercourses and very importantimtapped small hydropower potential. According to our inventory explorations theunexploited conventional and unconventional hydro potential of Greece is verypromising. Our present action towards the systematic exploitation ofthe Helicon's
type and Olganos type potential concerns the installation of a series of small
hydropower plants recovering the energy wasted in the Evinos-Mornos aqueductand a selies of hydropower plants in the eastern slopes of the Vermion mount ofNorthern Greece.
Seit der Zeit der Antike, des Mythos der Helicon Theogonie und des FlussgottesOlganos, sind am Berg von Heticon in Zentratgriechentad und in der Region desMazedonischen Bergs Vennion reichlich Karstwasserstramungen vorhanden, dieein Potential far Kleinwaaserkraftanlagen darstelien. Die Untersuchung des freien
griechischen Flachenpotentials hat vielversprechende Ergebnisse ergeben. Unsereaktuellen Untersuchungen far eine systematische Nutzung des Helicon Typs und
Olganos Typs betreffen die Installation einer Reihe von Kleinwasserkraftanlagenzur Nutzung des Energiepotentials in der Tri wasserversorgung der Evinos-Memos, und einer zweiten Reihe von Kleinwasserkraftanlagen am Berg von
Vermion im Norden Griechenlands.
1 Introduction
The ancient poet Hesiod pays homage, in his famous and fully enigmatichydropower meanings ancient work, the Theogony, to the water of Helicon
mountain, in Central Greece, throughout of which is flowing the actual verylong Athens water system, having a daily minimum average water supply of
about 1 Mm /day, and to the legendary Hippocrene spring, sacred to the Muses,and considered to be a source of poetic inspiration. Following the myth, the
Hippocrene spring was created when the winged horse Pegasus aimed, bis hoofat a rock, striking it with such force that the spring burst from the spot. In Greek
369
Beyond the Helicon's and the Olganos type smaH hydropowerplants in Greece
legend it was the abode ofthe Muses and sacred to Apollo. A series oftemplesand sanctuaries of the Apollo, of the Muses and of Poseidon, the second after
Apollo "Lord of Helicon", were situated in the easter slopes of the mountain
(Fig. 1).-,M-
i : ./lilI...EZ..ill ..."r/11...U)-it.r........ Al-- WI-
Ii, ilill'll,2/,69:Ilip.w illil lillial*'*ti . Lililillill -/.Illil/*pr'/iiiiiliMilidal:/4/%*ick/· 1/*413"* ./MiliI)11 :- i""""lir.-* IAL..Ill'=-4.1 c. r *. f, 1 -- *-:- 1:
.41- .0. 2
Figure 1 The Heliconian Muses, Apollo, and the winged horse Pegasus, in the Helicon's
Hippocrene spring, according the Theogony ofHesiod
Back in the 6th century B.C. the Ionian philosophers, wondering about the
beginning of life, considered water as the holistic starting point of everything, as
the basis, as the essential and the fkst principle of the whole universe (Fig. 2),since all things are generated by water and surrounded by it (Stergiopoulos.1991,1996,2007).
Figure 2 Water, the eternal "corner stone" of the whole universe
Water is, throughout the time, a real spatiotemporal "corner stone" for life in
ancient Athens, because it is a finite resource and unevenly distributed in time
and location. For Athens, lying 6n a dry area and characterized by annual
rainfall around 400-500 mm, which continues to have a big lack of adequatewater resources throughout the ages, water became much more than a gift from
Gods. Since the ancient time, Athens has suffered, from considerable water
shortages, a fact which is considered by the erection of many altars to the
"raining Zeus", to Athena and to Poseidon, called upon to solve the over the
ages water problem (Fig. 3). According to the holistic mythological origin and
nature of Athens, the Gods Poseidon and Athena claimed the name of the city.During their contest and fight, in the shadow of Acropois limestone rock,Poseidon offered water and a white horse as his gifts, symbols of power and
370
Wasserbaukolloquium 2009: Wasserkraft im Zeichen des KlimawandeIs
Dresdener Wasserbauliche Mitteilangen Heft 39
abundance, while Athena offered the olive tree and an owl, symbols of rational
water management, ofpeace and wisdom (Stergiopoulos, 2007).
Figure 3 In the shadow of Acropolis, Poseidon and Athena, called to solve the over the agesholistic water problem ofAthens
According to the myth, Athenians finally preferred the gifts of Athena.
Poseidon, the God of water, infuriated, condemned the city to eternal water
shortages. It seems that the end of tile water abundance phase is lost in the depthof the time stream and of the Athenian mythological cosmogony. This mythbasically illustrates how the lack of water has plagued Athenians for a very longtime. Since then, according to Greek mythology, Athens paid and continues to
pay clearly even today for the ingratitude showed to tile easily offended
Olympian God. Despite this mythological episode, ancient Athens in the
"golden" classical period of the 5th century B.C. had developed an advanced, for
that time, holistic technological system of rational water use and supplyconsisting of an interconnected network of public and private wells, fountainsand springs, aqueducts that carried water from long distances from the
mountains around Athens and rainwater collection cisterns.
Since the ancient time, beyond the above mentioned Hesiod Theogony, the
Heticoniad Muses, the winged Pegasus, and the legendary water fight of two
Olympian Gods, and the very enigmatic hydropower meanings myths of the
Olganos River God, the mythic Vermion Mount region in northern Greece
continues nowadays to be rich in white gold and in karst watercourses,
generously blessed with water, with important water falls and very promissinguntapped small hydropower potential. Looking back on historical and mythicalfigures and gathering hydraulic data, on the easter gentle slopes ofthe Vermion
mount, will probably lead to the optimal exploitation of its very efficient and
promising white gold, probably in the vicinity ofthe famous Olganos water sites
and springs. Mountainous Greek departments, like Epirus and Macedonia, and
371
372 Beyond the Helicon's and ttie Olganos type small hydropower plants in Greece
regions like the Vermion mount, in the Northern Greece, are rich in water-
courses, generously blessed with water and very important unexploited small
hydro potentialln the following figure (Fig. 4) is given a first idea of the
Macedonian Vermion region, having a continuous presence of the lovelyOlganos water god, whose the very beautiful statue discovered in 1947, with an
approximative 3D scheme ofthe Vermion mount (Stergiopoulou 2007).
Ef#f #c .
Iliels til-til,591*Zii:.i"'I../.
* I . --
_t> Aff:' F'.'gr .f -., , * <"i*' .:. Dma<'.frs' t. P
ies··*'T .5 ·· :·**3*:Api LY,2-:.22....1.82* '- j..., 1....E*1#, *K.- ....1:-lip:% .-
''*fi 1 9-,-rr-\-L#.1
Figure 4 Olganos, the lovely Water God and the Macedonian Vermion mount
2 Helicon's type energy recovery on a water supply network
Nowadays, the principles of sustainability, the rational water use and
management, the multiple purpose philosophy and the optimal development of
small hydropower plants, is of a high priority for all countries. During the pastfew years many engineers have rediscovered an unconventional hydro source of
energy that was not pursued for a long time (Stergiopoulou, 2008)(Stergiopoulos, 1996, 2007). This source is the electricity generated by installingsuitable small hydroelectric power plants in gravity water supply mains. At such
gravity water supply systems using closed conduits and open channels, the
excessive pressure head is always considered as a major problem (Fig. 5).Different means of reducing this accumulated pressure are widely used. This
dissipated energy is often regarded as detrimental to the water distribution
system and it could be considered as a wasted source of free generated energy.
r.'' WlsA'„* % 6
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Wasserbaukolloquium 2009: Wasserkraft im Zeichen des KlimawandelsDresderter Wasserbauliche Mineilungen Heft 39
ifyif -/lAc 26-*f£al**44* c= ,...= 0- I-
/91"higilll./2 lill.:bill 4'.'----:-2.iMM :IMI:211,1.-Vilililili:.gi -'--=- - ,- , -rt..- - -.--
- ..:t.... -.1/.6-16. 2- .........
Figure 5 The Athens water supply network and tile water channel downstream of an energydestructor
Given the length of the aqueducts, the morphology and topography ofthe terrain
along these, the large-scale Evinos-Mornos supply network of Athens was
designed with a series of break pressure constructions, hydraulic energydestructor, primarily at the exits of the tunnels, to ensure the smooth water flowin the channels downstream and protection against damage through erosion,abrasion, wave formation or scouring. It is possible that the hydraulic energycould be recovered by replacing all the break pressuring mechanisms with small
hydro plants playing exactly the same energy destructor role. The wasted
hydraulic energy in the water supply network of Athens (Fig. 5) can be howeverrecovered by replacing all the break pressuring mechanisms with special small
hydro plants of Helicon's type. Such a Helicon's type unconventional hydropower case constitutes the first step towards the whole small hydro recovery ofthe energy wasted in the various energy destroyers of the Evinos - Mornos
aqueduct and towards a holistic water management strategy. This strategyconsiders firstly that water and energy are associated realities and that the
flowing water along a pipe system or an open channel, is a simultaneous mass
and energy transport phenomenon. This strategy combines the over the agesrational water management wisdom of Athena, covered with the gifts of owl andolive tree, with the water power horses offered by Poseidon (Stergiopoulou,2008). The most representative example of a Helicon's type small hydroelectricplant, recovering the wasted hydraulic energy and playing the same role with the
breakpressure mechanisms is shown in the following figure (Fig. 6).
Figure 6 Helicon's type small hydroelectric plant
373
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AH{m)P<.W) R 800 ·1500
. ,
E(kwHear)-7•10a/NT
=*,
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4 .-5/994|:A-=
374 Beyond the Helicon's and the Olganos type small hydropower plana in Greece
By following such a quite simple unconventional water management philosophyit is found, that for the water supply network ofAthens, with a maximum water
transfer of 23 mps, it is efficient to install the following Helicon's typeunconventional small hydroelectric plants, 1. Helicon (Q =11 m3/s. Hnet = 1 lm,p = 0.65 MW), 2. Kia (Q= 11 mh, Hnet= 8.03 m, P = 0.76 MW), 3. Kithairon
(Q = 10.5 m'/s, Hnet = 11 m, P = 1.20 MW), 4. Kleidi (Q = 4,2 m /s,Haer = 4.20 m, P = 0.50 MW), 5. Mandra (Q = 10 m /s, Hnet = 8.25 m,
P = 0.65 MW), 6. Evinos (Q = 1 m'/s, Hnet = 25 m, P = 0.82 MW), 7. Vari
(Q= 0.3 m3/s, Hw, = 65 - 105 m. P =0.24 MW). These seven in cascade
Helicon's type small hydroelectric plants could have a total installed capacity of
about 4.82 MW, which could give a total produced electricity of about
33.6 GWh / year, which corresponds to an avoided C02 emmission estimation
of 33.595 tn / year. It seems that the bigger among all such unconventional
Helicon's type hydropower plants concerns the Kithairon's break pressure site.
Despite the fact that variation of the water discharge is from 5 to 17 m'/s and the
available net head is variable from 17.8 m to 13 m, the design point could be
described by the nominal conditions of Qd = 10.5 mh, Hn#,d = Ilm,Pd = 1.20 MW. In this case, the replacement of the break pressure tank by a
small hydro plant will harness a total hydraulic energy of about 9.5 GWE year.The power house and the performances of such a Helicon's type small hydroplant are given in the following figure (Fig. 7).
=.'....
'm'=- r*r i- T--Tri-:E,I T -19-: 1/E.3,&32,3 2"7411:
1-il"""i:11.111[111 111$1it i==- 11 L ,
"-1 7 .illitimltll IN.---.......1.
I.**#.444*.*
Figure 7 Small hydropower house and the performances of a Helicon's type power plant.
3 The Olganos hydropotential development of Vermion
The total theoretical hydropotential obtained for Greece, a small country rich in
small and large watercourses, is around Em =30 TWh corresponding to an
overall theoretical hydrocapacity of about 3.412 MW, to a mean value of the
specific small hydrocapacity of about 74.7 (KW/Kme), and to a small
hydropower density approximately 0.651 GWh/Kme, favours the installation of
a series of small hydroelectric plants covering the whole country (Stergiopoulos,1991, 1996,2007). The Greek small hydropotential inventories demonstrate the
predominance of the water districts of Epirus and of Macedonia and the
important role of the presence of the Pindos mountain range mainly, but also of
Wasserbauko oquitim 2009: Wasserkraft im Zeichen des Khmawandels
Dresdener WasserbauticheMitteilungen Heft 39
the Vermion mount, in the annual rainfall differences between the North-Western Greece (1.000 to 2.000 mIn) and the Eastern Greece (400 to
500 mm / year) (Fig. 8).
'Lit/ - · eM d fr
4- ri,Va . 9.8 4 Sfmt-,'". mt ..2.fe'.* 4- 8. .,.....eRJEE; r 2'
·' : ·...- WH-
i ·, 1 7'*i-- -=,
'4/-1....... 4. 18.1.4.25:1-
, .D --'-C-*0.0
Figure 8 The role of Pindos mountain range in the whole Greek precipitation conditions andthe most promising small hydro sites in Greece.
Mountainous Greek regions, like the Vermion region, are rich in watercourses,in important karst springs and beautiful waterfalls having a very importanthydraulic potential (Fig. 9). The unexploited small hydro potential ofthe eastern
slopes of the Vermion's region seems to be very promising and there are manyalternative sites for small hydro development. Karst covering the whole area ofVermion mount conserves over the ages the "memory" of intensive tectonic
activity in the form of large geological caustics and karst events (Stergiopoulou,2007,2008). Small hydropower activities in the Vermion's region have a verylong history. The abandoned nowadays old textile factory of Loggos -Tourballi,in Naoussa, produced electricity since 1875 (Fig. 9).
*.612 *.6 10 -==* ./.9£.P.W.I.-*7
Figure 9 Waterfalls in the eastern slopes of the Vermion Mount and the Loggos-TourbaliHydro Industry, in Naoussa
It seems that some strange karst underground flows through tile karst media of
Vermion, having strong relations with Gods and mysterious spirits, continue to
375
Beyond the Helicon's and the Olganos type small hydropowerplants in Greece
influence the watercourses of Tripotamos and Arapitsa and the springs of
Asproneri, Mavroneri, Kopanos and Agios Nicolaos (Fig. 10).
,-au
.4.*r,A ../3
,. AD --, 1'1,•'
1 -r- ....' *16.
+'
"4Wp' f
4 f,/4'L.17'
i L
Figure 10 The mysteries of the Vennion karst springs having strong relations with Gods and
mysterious spirits
Actually, despite the general local industrial crisis of Veroia and Naoussa, some
small hydroelectric stations continue to operate in a stand alone form (e. g.
Varvaressos Textile I dustry) or conneced to the grid (e. g. Vermion S.A.).Despite the strong industrial crisis of the Vermion's towns, hydropowerconstitutes nowadays, from a commercial energy supply point of view, in the
region under consideration, the largest renewable energy source. In Tripotamosriver, in Veroia, a small hydropower plant had been build in 1925 by the local
private company Vermion S.A. and continues to be in operation nowadays(Fig. 11). In this region the waterfalls of the Vermion mount were, are and will
be an important source of Olganos type hydropower prosperity.
-;- ***"
V #wdB< --4.*# 0,
Figure llVennion hydro plant and water as a source of prosperity
Nowadays, a renaissance is taking place in the promotion and construction of
small hydroelectric plants in the easter slopes of the Vermion Mount. The
present Olganos hydropower action concerns the installation of a series of small
376
.'
Wasserbaukolloquium 2009: Wasserkraft im Zeichen des KlimawandelsDresdener Wasserbautiche Mitteihulgen Heft 39
hydropower plants in the sites of Bachoutchi, Loggos, Spilio, Mega Rema,Kirasli and Sarantovrysses near the towns ofVeroia and Naoussa. The first main
component of this effort concerns the 150 KW Small 'Hydroelectric Plant of
Kyrasli, in Tripotamos, upstream of Veroia, and the second one concerns the1320 KW Small Hydroelectric Plant of Bachoutsi, in Arapitsa, downstream ofNaoussa. With the Kyrasli plant a rennaissance of the hydropower philosophytook place in Tripotamos. The small hydro power plants of Kyrasli (150 KW)and Sarantowysses use the water of Tripotamos river (Fig. 12). The small
hydropower plants of Bacoutchi (1.32 MW) and Mega Rema of Rodochori
(660 KW) concerns the Arapitsa river downstream ofNaoussa.
Figure 12 Small Hydropower Plants ofKyrasH and Sarantovrysses
4 Towards a first Helicon and Olganos hydropower conclusion
According to our paper the global Greek natural conventional andunconventional urban small hydro opportunities, of Helicon's and Olganos type,appear to be huge. Beyond the mysteries of Helicon and Olganos, and beyondthe future Helicon's and Olganos type hydropower plants to be developed in
Greece, the very hydropower enigmatic meanings of a series of ancient myths,names, words, legends and water fight episodes of two Olympian Gods, willcontinue nowadays to fascinate, to excite and to puzzle us, and seem to teach us
the need for a real holistic water strategy combining the spirit of wisdom ofAthena with the very precious power gifts ofPoseidon.
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4. t.
%*44 /"
SWA
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Beyond tie Helicon's and the Olganos type small hydropower plants in Greece
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Authors:
Prof. Dr. d'Etat Dr.-Ing.Vassilios Stergiopoulos Dipl.GIS G. StergiopoulosDipt.Agr.-Ing., Ms.NTUA Alkisti Stergiopoulou 50 01ympouASPETE- Higher School offedagogical 14565 Agios Stefanos, Greece
& Technological Education Tel.: +30-210-6217225
N.Heraklio, 14121 Athens, Greece
Tel.: +30-210-2896783
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