Small hydro is especially suitable for communities and industries without access to grid power supplies and dependent on oil fuels with high transport and storage costs.

Small hydro is described as micro-hydro or mini-hydro depending on generating capacity which can range from a few kilowatts to several thousand kilowatts. Capital cost can be minimised by cost-effective design, involving:

• off-the-shelf mechanical and electrical equipment

• simple, robust engineering design of civil works for water supply.

SMEC 's expertise encompasses a variety of services, including:

• preliminary studies

• hydrological evaluation

• community consultation

• systems studies

• electrical and mechanical plant specification

• civil works design

• documentation for construction, and plant procurement

• construction supervision

• project management

• community-based training in operation and maintenance.

SMEC has longstanding associations with small scale turbine manufacturers in Australia such as Tamar Engineering in Tasmania and Rainbow Corporation in New South Wales.