https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0714-6582
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ABSTRACT
Hydropower development on gravity-based drinking water supply pipelines in India has not been widely practiced, even at the micro-hydropower (MHP) scale. Site visits including measurements of pipeline flow and pressure were conducted at 12 schemes in Uttarakhand, and 3 were chosen for detailed analysis. Due to a complete lack of existing pressure control, the available drinking water flow would have to be reduced to enable retrofitting with MHP turbines. Technical and economic calculations were performed for a hypothetical 20% flow reduction, but showed electric power yields between just 1.2 and 3.9 kW and long payback periods between 8 and 24 years. The favoured alternative proposal is to incorporate the planning of MHP facilities into the inevitably necessary renovation and/or expansion of pipelines to both (1) meet future water demand and (2) enable the development of MHP. This hypothetical improved case showed an increase in electric power yield by a factor of 5 over the retrofitting case, and was recommended to the state water utility Uttarakhand Jal Sansthan.
Acknowledgements
Our sincere thanks goes to Uttarakhand Jal Sansthan for providing extensive logistical support in obtaining the flow and pressure data for all schemes visited, and most of all for displaying openness towards new projects beyond the current scope of their primary responsibilities.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.