Sauerbrunn Hydro Project | Restoration Hydro Turbine Install in Austria

The Sauerbrunn Hydro Project is the first European hydropower site to use Natel's FishSafe™ Restoration Hydro Turbine (RHT) to generate renewable energy. The Sauerbrunn Project is located on the Mühlgang River, a tributary of the River Mur, near Graz, Austria, and is expected to generate up to 100 MWh annually.

According to a 2022 study from Water Resources Management, there are approximately 50 GW of untapped potential for run-of-river hydro projects in Europe and more than 148 locations in Austria alone that are viable for future small hydropower installations. Natel's FishSafe™ RHT is designed with run-of-river sites in mind and is compact enough to be easily deployed in logistically complex sites. The Sauerbrunn site, for example, is remote enough and small enough that it would have been challenging and likely prohibitively expensive to install a conventional turbine there.

In addition to being compact and cost-effective, Natel's RHT is safe for downstream fish passage and over 90% efficient. What do we mean by safe for fish passage? The RHT has been shown, through numerous scientific studies, to provide 98-100% safe passage for migratory fish species. Austrian rivers that are home to the endangered European eel are expected to benefit notably from Natel’s FishSafe™ technology, as will rivers inhabited by trout, grayling, salmon, shad, and herring.

Check out our fish passage videos:
Trout:    • Rainbow Trout Fish Passage Testing | ...  
Large Trout:    • Large Rainbow Trout Fish Passage Test...  
American Eel:    • 100% Safe Hydro Turbine Passage for A...  

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Video narration, Natel Energy: Harry Driscoll
Video narration, Energie Steiermark: Andreas Fürst
Filming: Ian Colon
Video edit: Ian Colon

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