ASSESSMENT OF SMALL HYDROPOWER POTENTIAL IN THE HIMALAYAN REGION OF INDIA

Abstract

Depending only on non-renewable energy resources, mainly fossil fuels, may not be a reliable option, as these resources are gradually depleted and will eventually become finite. In addition, harmful gases released from these energy resources affect the environment and contribute to global warming, responsible for natural disasters like unprecedented floods and drought. Nowadays, governments and policymakers are focusing on developing sustainable energy from renewable energy resources such as hydropower, wind power, and solar power. In this study, an assessment of the small-scale hydropower (SHP) potential of the Himalayan region in India has been carried out using global runoff and elevation datasets. The study used the publicly available runoff and Digital Elevation Model (DEM) dataset with a resolution of 0.5o x 0.5o and 90m x 90, respectively. The runoff dataset was used to process the possible design discharge for suitable locations in river networks in the region. Similarly, the DEM was used to extract the design discharge. For this study, a minimum discharge of 1 m3/s and a minimum head of 20m have been used as a threshold for the analysis. To conduct the analysis, possible potential sites capable of fulfilling the head requirements assuming the horizontal interval between the headwork and the power plant as a minimum of 500m to a maximum of 3000m (the search takes place every 500m), and fulfilling the discharge requirements are identified as suitable potential sites and filtered for further Power(P) and Energy(E) computations. The study shows that, with flow dependability of 75% and 90%, respectively, it is possible to develop small-scale potential sites in the Himalayan region in India that could produce overall annual energy of up to 28.5 TWh/yr and 18.89 TWh/yr. Around 57% of the energy is available in Himachal Pradesh and Ladakh states. Arunachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir together contribute about 36 % of the overall potential that can produce from SHP potential. The other states, located in the Indian Himalayan region, can produce the remaining 7% of the total hydropower potential. Overall, the study revealed that, in Indian Himalayas, abundant hydropower potential is available.