Practical Action experience Practical Action experience

on small hydro power energyon small hydro power energy

By: Tinashe Nethe & Teodoro Sánchez Practical Action

Practical ActionPractical Action�� Founded in 1966 by EF Founded in 1966 by EF

SchumacherSchumacher , Practical , Practical Action is an international Action is an international group of development group of development organisations with organisations with charitable status. Its head charitable status. Its head office is in the UK, with office is in the UK, with regional and country regional and country offices in Africa, Asia and offices in Africa, Asia and Latin America.Latin America.

HYDRO ENERGY SCHEME LAYOUTHYDRO ENERGY SCHEME LAYOUT

channelforebay tank

penstock

Power house

intake

THE POWER RANGE CONVETIONTHE POWER RANGE CONVETION

Above 100MWAbove 100MWLarge hydroLarge hydro

10 MW to 100 MW 10 MW to 100 MW Medium hydroMedium hydro

1 MW to 10 MW1 MW to 10 MWSmall hydroSmall hydro

100 kW to 1MW100 kW to 1MWMini hydroMini hydro

10 to 100kW10 to 100kWMicro hydroMicro hydro

up to 10 kWup to 10 kWPico hydroPico hydro

RANGE OF POWER RANGE OF POWER CLASSCLASS

WAY SMALL HYDRO SCHEMES HAVE BEEN LEFT OUT OF WAY SMALL HYDRO SCHEMES HAVE BEEN LEFT OUT OF THE ENERGY MENU FOR RURAL ELECTRIFICATION THE ENERGY MENU FOR RURAL ELECTRIFICATION

PROGRAMMES IN MOST COUNTRIES?PROGRAMMES IN MOST COUNTRIES?

-- It requires high capital investment It requires high capital investment

-- technology dependence of poor countries technology dependence of poor countries

-- Existence of other technologies for small demands, which Existence of other technologies for small demands, which

require lower capital investment, example diesel sets.require lower capital investment, example diesel sets.

-- frequent reports on unsustainability of small isolated frequent reports on unsustainability of small isolated

schemes due to lack of local capacity to operate and schemes due to lack of local capacity to operate and

maintain hydro schemes) maintain hydro schemes)

-- most rural electrification policies rely heavily on grid most rural electrification policies rely heavily on grid

extensionextension

Practical Action approach

1) Appropriate technology

2) Appropriate approaches

4) Community organisation for a

sustainable operation

5) Community participation,

community management

6) Promotion of productive uses

income generation and welfare

7) Advocacy for pro-poor changes

at policy level

A) EXAMPLES OF A) EXAMPLES OF

TECHNOLOGIES ON TECHNOLOGIES ON

CIVIL WORKSCIVIL WORKS

Low cost intakesCOST REDUCTION ON CIVIL WORKS

The use of wood reduces installation costs and serves as fuses when high rain season comes, it requires low maintenance cost

COST REDUCTION ON CIVIL WORKS

construction of low cost channels

The use of wood frames helps to reduce the wall thickness; this reduces materials up to 50% comparing with conventionally made channels, it also reduces labour in similar proportion.

COST REDUCTION ON CIVIL WORKS

Use of PVC for penstocks

The use of commercial high pressure PVC of High density polyethylene pipes reduces cost of penstock to about 1/3 to steel made penstock

Simple power houses using local materials

COST REDUCTION ON CIVIL WORKS

Small power houses, using local materials and local labour can be very cheap

B) ELETROMECHANICAL B) ELETROMECHANICAL

EQUIPMENT DEVELOPED EQUIPMENT DEVELOPED

AND DISSEMINATEDAND DISSEMINATED

MINI HYDRO SCHEMES (100kW TO 500kW)MINI HYDRO SCHEMES (100kW TO 500kW)

120 kW scheme, Sondor, Peru

COST REDUCTION ON ELECTROMECHANICAL EQUIPMENT

5 different models of Pelton turbines

COST REDUCTION ON ELECTROMECHANICAL EQUIPMENT

MICRO HYDRO SCHEMES (10kW to 100kW)MICRO HYDRO SCHEMES (10kW to 100kW)Technology developed and transfer, 3 different models of Pelton turbines, 1 propeller turbine, to cover the range of power

MICRO HYDRO SCHEMES (10kW to 100kW)MICRO HYDRO SCHEMES (10kW to 100kW)

Prototype de 25kW installed in Las Juntas, Peru, 2000Prototype de 25kW installed in Las Juntas, Peru, 2000

Propeller turbinesPropeller turbines

COST REDUCTION ON ELECTROMECHANICAL EQUIPMENT

Technology developed and transfer, 4 different models of Pelton turbines, 1 propeller turbine, to cover the range of power

PICO HYDRO SCHEMES (BELLOW 10 kW)PICO HYDRO SCHEMES (BELLOW 10 kW)

PICO HYDRO SCHEMES (up to 10 kW)PICO HYDRO SCHEMES (up to 10 kW)

RIVER CURRENT PROTOTYPE INSTALLED IN THE AMAZON IN PERU 500W MACHINE, 2002

IMPROVING THE ACCESS TO OTHER SOCIAL AND WELFARE SERVICES

Examples of Examples of Productive usesProductive uses

milk chillingmilk chillingCarpentryCarpentry

Battery chargingBattery charging

Productive usesProductive uses

Ice making Ice making Chicken farms Chicken farms

ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF SAMLL ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF SAMLL

HYDRO SCHEMES AGAINT LARGE ONESHYDRO SCHEMES AGAINT LARGE ONES

all imported technology, hence all imported technology, hence expensiveexpensive

use of local (national) use of local (national) technologies, hence lower costtechnologies, hence lower cost

generally large impactgenerally large impactvery low environmental impactvery low environmental impact

management by large companiesmanagement by large companiesIt is possible a community It is possible a community management management

need large reservoirs for millions need large reservoirs for millions of cubic meters of waterof cubic meters of water

design is made for the rundesign is made for the run --off the off the river river

Large hydro schemesLarge hydro schemesSmall hydro schemes Small hydro schemes

Lessons learned

1) In most developing countries and specially in the poorest ones there is a lack of capacity to manufacture and implement small scale h ydro schemes.

2) Appropriate organisation and management is requir ed in order to have sustainability of small hydro schemes

3) The cost per unit installed (kW) varies from US$ 1500 to US$ 3000 depending on the site conditions and the distance of the demand

4) Experience shows that a rate of 0.25kW per family copes with the demand of a medium to a wealthy rural family in rural areas

5) The use of appropriate technologies can reduce co sts to ½ of micro hydro plants to ½ or even less comparing with those built using c onventional technologies

6) In the lowest range of power (schemes bellow 10 k W), the cost of equipment can be as cheap as 1/3 to 1/5 using unconventional comp onents, such as motors in reverse, pups as turbines, etc.

7) Small hydro power systems the option to promote p roductive uses, because the schemes can run 24 hours a day and the marginal cos t are negligible.

8) In countries like, Peru, Nepal, Sri Lanka, after a programme of demonstration, dissemination and technology transfer, small hydro systems are produced locally and operated locally in a sustainable way.