Global Hydro Energy GmbH said digitalization and artificial intelligence (AI) will play a central role in keeping Philippine hydropower plants efficient, reliable, and ready for rising renewable energy demand.

Speaking at the 3rd Philippine Hydro Summit & Exhibition 2025, Global Hydro Energy CEO Heinz Peter Knass said many hydropower facilities in the country are already decades old, making modernization and predictive maintenance essential.

“Our mission is to create a value over the whole lifetime of a hydropower plant,” Knass said.

Knass emphasized that the company’s approach goes beyond supplying equipment or control systems. Instead, Global Hydro has built a digital ecosystem designed to give operators clearer insights into their plants’ behavior, from flow conditions to machine vibration patterns, all in real time.

“We are always with our operators worldwide so that we can interact in real time and detect issues before they become failures,” Knass noted, underscoring the growing importance of predictive maintenance and remote support.

With many Philippine hydropower plants already operating for decades, the ability to detect early warnings is becoming crucial. Unplanned downtime, as Knass pointed out, remains one of the most costly risks a plant can face. 

The company’s software suite aims to reduce this risk through machine learning algorithms that continuously analyze turbine behavior, detect anomalies, and recommend adjustments before damage occurs.

Knass said the global hydropower industry is now entering a new phase, with artificial intelligence emerging as a central tool for increasing efficiency, optimizing generation, and protecting assets from wear. 

“Right now, we are at another tipping point, artificial intelligence,” he said.

He said Global Hydro has positioned itself at the forefront of this shift.

“We are the front-runner in the hydropower sector when it comes to combining artificial intelligence with existing hydropower technologies,” he said.

Global Hydro’s system can determine the optimal operating point for each turbine based on real-time river conditions, sediment levels, and historical performance data. 

These adjustments can be automated to help operators squeeze more energy from the same water resources, a critical benefit as the Philippines seeks to expand renewable capacity without compromising watershed constraints.

Knass described the Philippines as a promising market for hydropower modernization, citing the country’s favorable topography, strong renewable energy ambitions, and large fleet of hydro assets in need of digital upgrades. He emphasized that the company is committed not only to providing technology but also to transferring expertise to local operators.

As the Philippines works toward increasing renewable energy’s share in its power mix, Knass believes digitalization and AI will be key enablers.

He added that these tools will help ensure the country’s hydropower fleet remains efficient, resilient, and ready to meet the demands of a renewable-powered future.

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