An Africa-focused hydro-power startup has teamed up with a Californian maker of ‘fish-safe’ turbines in a bid to solve electricity supply problems in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

MyHydro has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Congolese government to develop 36 small hydro projects in a country where only about 10% of its 100-million people have access to electricity. The plants will use turbines made by Natel Energy, which have blunted blades that leave almost all the fish that pass through the turbines unharmed.

The New York-based company is banking on the technology to provide a constant stream of energy that’s more reliable than solar alternatives. The turbines are to be installed in rivers rather than requiring the construction of reservoirs and the company says their low impact on ecosystems will allow it to attract investment to expand across Africa.

Congo has 13% of the world’s hydro-power potential, according to the African Development Bank, yet the industry is barely developed. It’s also home to the Congo River, the world’s second-biggest by volume after the Amazon.

“We went to Congo because the need there with these big cities with no power is enormous,” founder Paul Hinks, who is also the head of power producer Symbion Power, said in an interview. “The hydrology is the best in Africa.”

Anser, Congo’s electrification agency, didn’t respond to requests for comment.

MOBILE MONEY
The first facility, on the Lubi River near the diamond-mining center of Mbuji-Mayi is set to start producing 4.5 MW of power in early 2024. Less than 10% of its 3.4 million inhabitants have access to electricity, according to the World Bank.

MyHydro will fund the initial project and plans to sell the power on a pre-paid mobile money or cash basis to both residential and industrial customers. Residential customers will also be provided with an electric cook-stove, which will boost demand while also cutting use of firewood and charcoal for cooking. Electric scooters owned by transport companies may be charged overnight when power demand is low and the project may earn carbon credits, Hinks said.

If all of MyHydro’s projects are implemented they could produce about 130 MW, the company said. The country currently has about 2 800 MW of installed capacity.

Congo has the third-largest population in the world without access to electricity, the World Bank said in a 2020 document. “The well-distributed potential of both hydro and solar resources remains mainly untapped.”

So far Natel’s turbines have been installed at two sites in the US, Freedom Falls in Freedom in Maine where the power supplies the Lost Kitchen restaurant, and Monroe Hydro in Madras, Oregon where Apple buys the renewable energy credits.

GREEN POWER

Natel has about 130 MW of projects in development around the world, according to co-founder Gia Schneider.

Natel’s products require so-called “low-head,” meaning that water traveling through the turbines does not need to fall from a great height. This boosts the number of sites they can be used at. About 99% of fish survive a trip through the turbine, Schneider said.

“With this technology they are onto generating really green power,” said Tony Grassi, owner of the turbine at Freedom Falls. “They could really transform the hydro-power industry.”