Small is beautiful. But small could also be effective. Time is ripe to focus on small hydro power units to bridge the gap in the country’s demand-supply of energy. It is prudent as the domestic gas availability from the once glorified Krishna-Godavari basin diminishes and price of imported coal rises from Australia to Indonesia. The benefits of using micro hydro power plant in India are many. It is economical, non-polluting and environmentally benign. They have the potential to provide energy in remote and hilly areas, where extension of grid system is not commercially viable. On the top of it, the gestation period for such installations is very short and cost maintenance is minimal.
The history of micro hydro power units is not only fascinating, but offer insight even today. Since 100 BC, analysts observe, the water wheels existed to grind wheat into flour. They were slowly replaced by water turbine by the end of 19th century as Industrial revolution progressed across the world. The basics are simple. The electricity is produced when water falls on the turbine and the blade rotates. However, what varies is the amount of electricity generated. “The quantity of electricity that a hydropower setup produces depends on the amount of water that passes through the turbine, or, the height from which the water falls. The greater the flow and higher the height; the more electricity is produced,” says a report on Indian power sector analysis.
Micro hydro power plant in India existed since the beginning of 20th century. The first installation, a 130 kW plant, was set up at Darjeeling in 1897, some 15 years after the world’s first micro hydro power plant was started at Appleton in the US. The success of Darjeeling led to the set up of a two-MW plant in 1902 at Shivasundaram in Mysore. It was followed by a three-MW unit in 1907 at Galgoi in Mussoorie, a 1.75-MW in 1914 at Chaba and a 50-kW at Jubbal in 1930 near Shimla. Analysts observe that between 1930 and 1950, such units came up on a number of canals on the Ganga. However, the major hindrance in those days was the lack of development of high voltage transmission lines. It resulted in heavy losses during transmission of electricity over long distances. But times have changed and technology has evolved to ferry electricity across places with minimum losses.
As a comparison with China is the flavour of the season, let me delve a bit on China’s record in this sphere. China has built a total of 43,000 small hydro projects with an installed capacity of over 35,000 MW supplying electricity to over 300 millions residing in China’s mountainous areas. It has not exhausted all its water resources, but has utilized only about 29 percent.
India’s geography favours use of hydropower. The small hydro power projects also complement other renewables such as solar, wind, tidal and biomass. Together they can do more than a few coal-based mega-projects. Though the government has taken initiatives in the past decade, time has come for a big push for small hydro projects. How else it is going to add 100,000 Mw to India’s power-generation capacity during the 12th Plan (2012-2017)?
The history of micro hydro power units is not only fascinating, but offer insight even today. Since 100 BC, analysts observe, the water wheels existed to grind wheat into flour. They were slowly replaced by water turbine by the end of 19th century as Industrial revolution progressed across the world. The basics are simple. The electricity is produced when water falls on the turbine and the blade rotates. However, what varies is the amount of electricity generated. “The quantity of electricity that a hydropower setup produces depends on the amount of water that passes through the turbine, or, the height from which the water falls. The greater the flow and higher the height; the more electricity is produced,” says a report on Indian power sector analysis.
Micro hydro power plant in India existed since the beginning of 20th century. The first installation, a 130 kW plant, was set up at Darjeeling in 1897, some 15 years after the world’s first micro hydro power plant was started at Appleton in the US. The success of Darjeeling led to the set up of a two-MW plant in 1902 at Shivasundaram in Mysore. It was followed by a three-MW unit in 1907 at Galgoi in Mussoorie, a 1.75-MW in 1914 at Chaba and a 50-kW at Jubbal in 1930 near Shimla. Analysts observe that between 1930 and 1950, such units came up on a number of canals on the Ganga. However, the major hindrance in those days was the lack of development of high voltage transmission lines. It resulted in heavy losses during transmission of electricity over long distances. But times have changed and technology has evolved to ferry electricity across places with minimum losses.
As a comparison with China is the flavour of the season, let me delve a bit on China’s record in this sphere. China has built a total of 43,000 small hydro projects with an installed capacity of over 35,000 MW supplying electricity to over 300 millions residing in China’s mountainous areas. It has not exhausted all its water resources, but has utilized only about 29 percent.
India’s geography favours use of hydropower. The small hydro power projects also complement other renewables such as solar, wind, tidal and biomass. Together they can do more than a few coal-based mega-projects. Though the government has taken initiatives in the past decade, time has come for a big push for small hydro projects. How else it is going to add 100,000 Mw to India’s power-generation capacity during the 12th Plan (2012-2017)?
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