The sound of a water turbine in the Khabur River, as the current of water spins the wheel's blades, dispelled all fears and anxieties of a team of 30 members who had been working on it for nearly a year.
The turbine was installed in the river last September. The idea originated from an initiative by Saeed Bapir, 47, who had been producing electricity for a village from clean energy for five years.
From 2005 to 2010, Saeed Bapir, originally a car mechanic, successfully provided 30 amps of electricity to the village of Bava in the Mangeshk sub-district, located 52 kilometers from Sumel district and 32 kilometers from Duhok Northern Province.
At that time, the village had five households, and the 30 amps were sufficient to light their homes and power their electricity needs using river water through a simple rotating wheel, without smoke, environmental pollution, or the use of fuel.
This five-year success prompted Bapir to explore other initiatives using clean energy to generate electricity, while the Kurdistan Region of Iraq KRI still heavily relies on gas and crude oil, the main sources of air pollution, for electricity generation.
The difference with this initiative is that it is locally produced, cheaper than imported alternatives, has the capability to generate electricity in low water conditions, and does not harm fish and other aquatic life with its slow-moving blades.
Omed Ahmad, spokesman for the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Ministry of Electricity, stated that the infrastructure for electricity generation is about 7,500 Megawatts MW, but only 60% percent, 4200-4500 MW of this energy is available due to fuel shortages.
Bapir's Dream Comes True
In 2021, Bapir participated in an initiative by the Kurdistan Innovation Institute (KII), dedicated to promoting innovation and supporting researchers and entrepreneurs in the KRI. This initiative announced the acceptance of various projects, and a chance for Bapir to realize his dream.
Saeed proposed the idea of generating electricity from river water by building a spinning wheel in the water, which was immediately accepted.
The KII encourages the development of new technologies and business trends to contribute to a sustainable and potential economy.
"Providing training, professional networking, and financial support are services available to innovators across various sectors, including renewable energy, health, transportation, fashion, and IT," said Sharif Ahmed, director of KII communications department.
To date, the institute has received approximately 450 innovative ideas from inventors and project owners, with 28 projects currently in development, according to Ahmed.
The initiatives encompass health, IT, agriculture, and several other environmental projects that are currently being pursued by the institute.
"The idea of generating electricity from river water has been a collaborative effort with a team of 20 to 30 engineers, technicians, experts, and professors from Duhok, Zakho, Cihan University, and American University in Duhok. We were able to transform the idea into a functioning turbine in 10 to 11 months," Ahmed stated.
The turbine, measuring six meters in length and two meters in diameter, is a unique example in the region capable of generating electricity from water sources ranging from one to ten meters deep.
"The institute's focus on sectors like renewable energy demonstrates its commitment to environmentally friendly initiatives," Ahmed added.
"This type of turbine has no adverse effects on aquatic life in the water source, as fish can easily navigate through the blades due to the wheel's slow rotation," mentioned Hogar Salim, director of the technical department at the KII.
Dr. Shiwan Jawdet Barzanji, professor of engineering, water resources, and the environment, stated, "Hydropower, in some cases, can stop fish migration, destruction of vegetation, and domestic animals in the area."
The Kurdistan Region is Ideal for the Initiative
According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources, the Kurdistan Region boasts 26 large and small dams, along with the necessary snow and rain during winter to fill these dams, making it suitable for such turbine installations.
Currently, the KRI relies on the Dukan and Darbandikhan dams for electricity generation through hydropower.
"400 MW of electricity is produced per hour in the Dukan Dam and 249 MW per hour in the Darbandikhan Dam," stated Rahman Khani, director-general of the dams. Together, these two dams can only supply 24% of the region's total electricity needs from clean energy.
The energy sector is responsible for about three-quarters of Iraq's total carbon emissions, more than 60%, according to the World Bank.
About 98% of Iraq's electricity is generated from fuel, while coal is projected to provide 35 percent of the world's electricity by 2023, producing 10,434 terawatts per hour.
Natural gas follows with a 23% share and a production of 6,634 terawatts. These sources are major contributors to environmental pollution and disease spread.
In contrast, hydropower is the world's largest renewable energy source, accounting for 24.3% of global electricity production at 4,210 terawatts per hour, states the World Bank.
The spokesman for ministry of Electricity mentioned that the Deralook hydropower plant in Duhok has the capacity to produce 38 megawatts of electricity yet it is not stable dpepending on water level.
"We are not yet fully informed about their efforts, but if they can successfully implement them, they should coordinate with the ministry on a scientific basis," Ahmad said regarding Bapir and KII intiative.
The Turbine's Journey from Erbil to Zakho
Bapir's idea, after a decade of individual work, evolved into a local group invention that produced a turbine in less time and cost than importing one from abroad, as per institute members.
The Khabur River in Zakho was selected for the installation of the first prototype of the turbine produced by (KII).
The hydropower turbine is currently set up as a pilot prototype in the Khabur River.
Installing the turbine required significant effort and skill, with each team member displaying visible apprehension as they worked to place the turbine in the river water.
After hours of labor, the sound of the turbine starting up amidst the water current and the blades spinning dispelled all doubts.
"The sound of the turbine marks the commencement of clean energy production in Kurdistan," Bapir said defiantly.
"The hydropower turbine's output depends on the water volume and height in the installation area, capable of producing 300 to 400 amps of electricity simultaneously," explained head of KII technical department.
Hydropower harnesses the power of water currents to generate electricity, offering a renewable energy source to combat climate change.
Working on the construction of the turbine, Duhok, September 2024. KII
"Power plants have inflicted significant environmental harm due to the burning of raw materials like coal, fuel, and crude oil, leading to heart, lung, and cancer diseases," Dr. Barzinji said.
"The turbine also provides benefits such as flood control, irrigation, water supply, and drought mitigation," he added.
The contribution of renewable energy to global electricity generation is on the rise, with solar and wind energy experiencing significant development.
The KII plans to replicate the hydropower turbine project in various sizes to meet market demands.
The institute is currently working on establishing a factory, Bapir mentioned. However, director of KRG dams, stated, "We are not fully aware of their work."
Obstacles Serve as Encouragement
The team encountered several obstacles during the hydropower turbine production process. "The main challenge was that it was the first time a local group of experts had constructed an energy-generating device," shared Bapir.
Connecting all the components was another hurdle for the team. To overcome the technical challenges, the project engineers designed additional parts for the turbine.
"The primary obstacle to my idea was the lack of financial support," Bapir, commneted on his journey. However, with the support of KII, they are now overcoming obstacles to build an advanced hydropower turbine.
