Greece beyond the horizon of the era of transition: Archimedean screw hydropower development terra incognita.

The main aim of this paper is to prove, according to our inventory that, beyond the horizon of the era of transition and economic crisis of nowadays, Greece is a real "Archimedean Screw Hydropower Development Terra Incognita", a country generously blessed with water, having an important hydropower potential. This inventory shows that the unexploited small hydropower capacity of Greece, including Archimedean possibilities, is approximately 3.500MW. The significant untapped small hydrodynamic potential demonstrates the important role of Pindos Mountain Range, controlling the annual rainfall difference between the North-Western and the Eastern Greece. The climatic and topographic conditions in Greece favor the development of many small Archimedean screw hydropower stations, harnessing the potential of a large number of small and big watercourses crossing mainland of the country. Pleiades of very promising Archimedean small hydro screw plants, having inclined and horizontal axis hydrodynamic rotors, could be installed following two hydro development axis (spears). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]