Hydropower Calculator

Estimate electricity generation from a hydropower installation based on water flow rate and head height.

m3/s
meters
%
%

Power Output

1,250.8 kW

Annual Energy9,861 MWh
Homes Powered939 homes
CO2 Avoided4,115 metric tons

Power Output vs Water Flow Rate

How to Calculate Hydropower Output

Hydropower converts the potential energy of falling water into electricity.

Formula

Power (kW) = Flow Rate (m3/s) * Head (m) * 9.81 * Efficiency

Annual Energy = Power * 8,760 hours * Availability Factor

  • Flow rate: Volume of water passing through the turbine per second
  • Head: Vertical drop from intake to turbine
  • Efficiency: Modern turbines achieve 85-93%
  • Example Calculation

    A hydropower site with 5 m3/s flow, 30m head, 85% turbine efficiency, 90% availability.

    1. 01Power: 5 * 30 * 9.81 * 0.85 = 1,250.8 kW
    2. 02Annual energy: 1,250.8 * 8,760 * 0.90 / 1,000 = 9,857 MWh
    3. 03Homes powered: 9,857 / 10.5 = 939 homes

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