ABSTRACT
The impact of energy availability influences the living conditions of communities to a large extent. Without electricity there can be no water- purification, no health-care and no pharmaceuticals. The use of renewable energies reduces the impact of greenhouse gases and other negative influences on the environment. Hydropower in its role in renewable energy sources is the largest contributor to this sector with the expected global share doubling, accounting for 30% of all electricity production by 2035. The development of hydropower machines for very low fall heads was investigated in the European Union (EU) project "Hydropower converters for very low head differences". The hydrostatic pressure machine developed in the EU's HYLOW project is driven by the pressure difference in the flow at a low rotational speed. In the case of low head hydropower, various technologies are available. The chapter also presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in this book.
