Energy is the source of our prevalent power-driven society and the livelihood of all its working systems and beings. Renewable energy is the resource of a well-working future for power, livelihood, and society to prevail.
Renewable energy is the liberator from global dependency on rapidly depleting non-renewable sources like fossil fuels. Today all environmental conventions to all the talks on pressing matters of the world’s future include the necessary sustainable development goals displaying their immediate need. Now when we need clean, reliable, and environmentally friendly energy sources more than ever, the potential of hydropower comes into the picture to save the days ahead. Planned Hydropower projects and systems are an incredible renewable energy alternative.
When we think of hydropower we think of gigantic dams and years of time and money spent in their construction and we tend to ignore many of its minor operations in energy production. Micro hydropower uses the energy of flowing water to generate electricity on a small scale with its power plants having a capacity of up to 100 kilowatts. They can be used to power small scale establishments like homes, farms, villages, schools, hospitals, and workshops. Micro hydro power is an opportunity to bring life to the vision of sustainable development goals on a local community level.
Micro-hydro power systems use a waterwheel, pump, or turbine to convert the energy of flowing water into mechanical energy, which is then converted into electricity. They operate on small rivers and streams so they are capable of generating electricity with a small amount of flow or a drop as low as 1 meter.
These systems are very beneficial for the growth of renewable energy in remote areas with limited and difficult access to national power grids. They provide a green and intelligent approach to the socio-economic upliftment of remote communities through technology.
The technological feasibility of micro hydropower projects comes from its very structure and minimal geographical need. A good evaluation of stream flow conditions for regular supply is the only necessary condition of such systems with simple structure which generally consists of
(a) Water conveyance – channel, pipeline, or pressurized pipeline (penstock) that delivers the water.
(b) Turbine, pump, or waterwheel — transforms the energy of flowing water into rotational energy.
(c) Alternator or generator — transforms the rotational energy into electricity
(d) Regulator — controls the generator
(e) Wiring — delivers the electricity.
(Source- www.energy.gov )
A micro-hydro system in Komalikuddi, a tribal village in the Idukki district of Kerala, India. The system produces 5 kilowatts of power to provide electricity to the remote village.
(Source-www.energy.gov)
Micro hydropower on such a small scale to cater to local needs provides all the proof needed to show the inclusive development of connectivity-deprived areas. Under hydropower planning locals can be trained for the maintenance of such projects because of the uncomplicated structure and easily replaceable parts, this will promote self-reliance and technical expertise which will boost their confidence and skill set.
Micro hydro projects are now designed with modern tech ensuring high energy conversion and backup during less flow season with batteries-based solutions storing energy during the high flow. Non-climate dependent technologies are being developed, some of the most salient flexibility technologies under development are; stabilizer fins, an adjustable diaphragm installed in the draft tube cone, J-grooves, air injection/admission, axial water injection with high/low velocity and low/high discharge, tangential water injection at a cone wall, axial water injection with a counter-flow tangential component, ejector power plants for the excess flow rate, two-phase air-water injection along the axis, hydroelectric energy storage solutions, battery hybrids, and smart modeling and control solutions to increase unit flexibility and operating range.
(source- www.hydropower.org )
Impulse turbines, which have the least complex design, are most commonly used for high-head micro hydro systems. The most common types of impulse turbines include the Pelton wheel and the Turgo wheel. Speed variations are also possible thanks to modern electric converters They also provide long term operations under this system with minimal environmental disturbance Such advancements show the easy and dependable technology used in micro hydro systems.
It is a known fact that any hydro project comes with a high initial cost of installation specially in isolated areas but the result far outweighs the upfront investment. When bringing micro or small hydro projects various local labor can be hired for construction and maintenance increasing employment in such areas further uplifting its economic conditions and lowering the cost of travelled labor for developers.
These projects can be undertaken by a collaboration of government and private undertakings which will both reduce the burden on government for developmental projects and spark the intertest of private sector in hydro power industry. Government schemes with low-cost loans, subsidies, and awareness campaigns will encourage with well- planned local ownership models will encourage the investments in building and participation of hydropower projects.
Economic empowerment provided by these projects will prove to be life changing to such remote areas where when national energy supply takes backlog reliable hydro power energy will promote connectivity to better healthcare facilities, educational institutions and power-driven agriculture and industrial machinery. This will grow commercial movement here and lay out a promising community future. The financial benefit is also clear in its generally 20-year exceeding life span and improved living standards encouraging investments in other sectors of these areas resulting in overall development.
The household level results produced from very micro-projects are often used in industries for personal use encouraging green initiatives in a section where pollution is often a concern. Some of the micro hydro projects set up specifically for economic purposes are-
(a) Sivasamudram project – A 4,500 kW project in the Mysore district of Karnataka that was built in 1902 to supply power to the Kolar gold mines
(b)Asli village – A project in the Nandubar district of Maharashtra that was set up by the Maharashtra Energy Development Agency (MEDA)
(source- www.pedag.gov.in)
Micro hydropower projects typically use a “run-of-river” design, which diverts only a portion of the river flow and avoids extensive land use. Their small structure never causes floods and do not alter the natural flow of river or affect aquatic ecosystem making them perfectly environmentally sustainable. Many such projects are built on already working canal systems like Sirhind Canal System, Bhakra main line, etc distributing the benefits of hydropower systems on a wide scale.
The potential of small and micro hydropower in a naturally and geographically gifted country like India is a truly incredible and opportunistic occurrence waiting to see its best days. It addresses real time issue of underdevelopment and the collection and processing of real-world data to adjust the actual working conditions of hydropower turbines can provide advanced grid supporting services without compromising stations’ reliability and safety. It is estimated that a total of 42 TWh could be added to present hydropower energy production by implementing hydropower digitalization.
Such an increase could lead to annual operational savings of a huge section of finances and a significant reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. Its sustainable development offers us a solution to environmental concerns and advancements in remote areas. With dedicated promotion and efforts of responsible energy use, we can enter into a technological based friendship with the future. It will be a pioneer into a renewable energy powered society careful of green needs and caring of all sections of community.
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