Multiconsult offers deep expertise in every aspect of hydropower project planning and development. Multiconsult have been working in this sector for more than 100 years, helping to continuously drive greater power from this natural resource to such an extent that Norway now derives 99% of its electricity from hydropower.
Now, the focus is on bringing the same benefits to less-developed regions of the world such as south-east Africa, south-east Europe, the Balkans, the Himalayas, Asia, South America and the Caribbean, where success will mean providing a relatively inexpensive and sustainable source of renewable clean energy.
Global Expansion
Tom Ødegaard heads up Multiconsult’s hydropower division, which has some of the world’s leading experts on turbines and power generation: “Less than one third of the world’s practical hydro capacity has been developed, so there’s enormous potential to expand this industry globally,” he says.
Typical of the projects funded by the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation is the new Bugoye River power plant in Uganda, developed by the Norwegian power company, Trønder Energi, to increase Uganda’s electricity supply by around 7%. Multiconsult provided feasibility studies, tender documents and contracting through design, construction management and control, to commissioning and testing.
Reconnaissance studies of 15 rivers with hydropower potential in Bhutan and feasibility studies for two potential dam projects on the Blue Nile in Ethiopia are further examples of Multiconsult’s work.