Small Scale Hydro Power Development on existing selected Dams in Tigray
No Thumbnail Available
Date
2017-06
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Ethiopia has a huge amount of both small and large scale hydro power potential. In the reverse of this fact its people are not yet benefited as required, particularly those in the remote scattered rural villages. This research will try to identify the potential to generate hydropower from such dams in Tigray region of Ethiopia. The dams in Tigray could be classified in to two: those with active storage and the corresponding water release for irrigation and those with no active storage (the storage being silted up). For the first set of dams hydropower could be generated during wet and dry season where by the release for irrigation could be used for power production. The second set of dams, since there is no active storage but a height, the hydropower production will focus only on the wet season flow. Since these set of dams will have different flow behavior their hydropower production potential is analyzed separately. For the dams with active live storage reservoir simulation that uses area capacity curve is used to estimate their potential. For the dams with inactive live storage a flow duration analysis that occur in the wet season is used for the hydropower production analysis. The potential analysis is done by RET screen software, by making use of hydrologic and area capacity curves obtained for a selected number of dams in the Tigray regional state.
Collecting and analyzing the hydrologic data for input to RET Screen software, Analyzing the result of energy, capacity factor, financial and economic feasibilities, Specifying the appropriate type of turbine based on the inflow data and available head of the reservoir and Specifying of electromechanical and electrical equipment based on international standard were the analysis performed for the potential identification on monthly basis.
Accordingly the energy output from those study have shown that these dams can produce power capable of serving 64 to 400 households residing nearby the dams. Besides the result have shown that such energy production could be considered for electrifying communities residing nearby other dams in Tigray with affordable cost. The rural electrification policy of the country could be augmented by such approach. The successful completion of this project would form the basis of a best practice guide for future mini-hydro implementations and hence have a significant influence on many communities.
KEY Words: Tigray, Micro hydro, Dams, RET ScreenKEY Words: Tigray, Micro hydro, Dams, RET Screen software and small scale hydro power
Description
Keywords
Tigray, Micro hydro, Dams, RET Screen software and small scale hydro power