MNRE list 6,474 potential sites
The total hydroelectric power potential in India is estimated at about 150,000 MW, equivalent to 84,000 MW at 60% load factor.
The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy has created a database of potential sites of small hydro projects (SHP) and 6,474 potential sites with an aggregate capacity of 19,749.44 MW for projects up to 25 MW capacity have been identified.
Out of this potential, about 50% lies in Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Jammu & Kashmir and Arunachal Pradesh.
In the plain region Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka and Kerala have sizeable potential, according to the “Small Hydro Turbine Market Potential in India 2018-2025: Nearly 16 GW of 20 GW Potential Yet to be Tapped” report by ResearchAndMarkets.
SHP projects normally do not encounter the problems associated with large hydel projects of deforestation and resettlement. The projects have the potential to meet the power requirements of remote and isolated areas. These factors make small hydel one of the most attractive renewable sources of grid quality power generation, said the report released on 23 Oct 2019.
The MNRE has taken a series of steps to promote the development of SHP in a planned manner and improve the reliability and quality of the projects. By giving various physical and financial incentives, investments have been attracted in commercial SHP projects, apart from subsidizing state governments to set up small hydro projects.
MNRE is giving special emphasis to promote the use of efficient designs of water mills for mechanical as well as electricity generation and the setting up of micro hydel projects for remote village electrification.
Where the project is being developed there is a series of socio-economic activities in the project area, which help in the overall development of the area. Since the power project is a permanent asset in remote areas, it also provides sustainable economic activity and employment opportunities.
The other component of the SHP programme is of decentralized power and energy generation through micro hydel and watermills. These applications have the potential of developing local entrepreneurs and meeting energy requirements of a village/community. A small/micro hydel project and watermills have the potential to provide sustainable economic strength to a village community.
The implementation of SHP projects is governed by state policies and the potential sites are allotted by the state governments to private developers. The process of allotment of sites by the states and statutory clearances including land acquisition, forest clearance, irrigation clearance etc. takes a long time.
The implementation of the project is also affected due to difficult terrain and limited working seasons. The other problem relates to inadequate evacuation facilities and transmission links. The project monitoring system is inadequate. These reasons have resulted in the slow pace of addition of small hydro compared to other renewable energy sources like solar or wind.
The focus of the SHP programme is to lower the cost of equipment, increase its reliability and set up projects in areas which give the maximum advantage in terms of capacity utilization.
There are about 28 Equipment Manufacturers of Small Hydro Power Turbine who fabricate almost the entire range and type of SHP equipment listed in MNRE. Manufacturers’ capacity is estimated at about 400 MW per year, according to the report. fiinews.com
