Environmental Compatibility

„In general, the rule for hydroelectric power projects is to alter a river as little as possible with respect to its course, water quantity and speeds, river widths and flow cross-sections during floods. But this is only possible within limits, due to the damming required for energy utilization.”

But here, all this is possible to a great extent. We see no need for significant changes in the course or width of the river, or the floodwater cross-section; nor does any consideration have to be given to residual flow, since this is not a diversion power plant.

The speed of the water is not changed at all over the whole reach. If this seems to contradict what was said under Profitability, the local speed in the flume was meant there, as a result of the lifting body's property as a body affecting the current flow, and not from braking as a result of extracting power. For such braking does not occur, in contrast to a wind turbine, for example. This may seem surprising. But the fact that the sweeping force increases or decreases as the square of the speed, and reaches an equilibrium with the work done and energy conversion at the bottom of the river may make it understandable. In an absolutely smooth channel, the rivers would flow with vast speed because of water's extremely low internal friction. In essence, that power is extracted which is performed on the river bottom by the sweeping force; but no more, since otherwise undesirable deposits would occur.

From the point of view of physics, the same energy is also extracted at a barrage; but there, the speeds of flow are completely changed over the lengthy stretch of the river where the current is affected by the construction. This is why deposits often occur there, unless the most careful preliminary studies have been made with the gravest consequences, up to the abandonment of the whole installation, with the valley now destroyed completely uselessly, as can be seen at several places in India, for example. In this context it should be noted that the silting of rivers, which is frequently encountered in the northern part of this subcontinent in particular, and which makes a turbine plant considerably more expensive if proper precautions are taken, does not bother the Transverpello at all.

The Transverpello does little to impair the landscape, being mainly under water. Nor does it disturb the aquatic fauna: fish can swim up to, along and past it. And the lack of a barrage is good for the richness in species, since biocenotically speaking, a dammed river is neither fish nor flesh, and is only inhabited by ubiquists.

The groundwater level also remains unchanged, so that considerably fewer objections are to be expected.

The whole width of large rivers need not and should not be used anywhere, so that no special measures to ensure free navigation need be expected. With regard to the length, it would seem practicable to not use more than one seventh of the total amount of water.

There is virtually no potential danger inherent in this technology.

Lutz Kroeber 2007 Transverpoello