Equivalent Small Hydro Power: A Simple Method to Evaluate Energy Production by Small Turbines in Collective Irrigation Systems

Abstract

The exploitation of water flows in collective irrigation networks is promising in view of enhancing renewable energy production in agriculture. To this goal, a simplified method to estimate the electricity production of small hydro power (SHP) plants integrated in existing irrigation systems is proposed. This method schematizes the water network by an “equivalent” system, consisting of a single pipeline with homogeneous diameter and material. The proposed method only requires as input data the altimetry and the maps of the irrigated areas instead of the materials and diameters of all the conduits of a common water network (often unknown by irrigation managers). The feasibility of the proposed method has been verified to size SHP plants in seven collective irrigation systems of Calabria (Southern Italy). This application has highlighted a mean error of 20% in estimating the SHP power with a more detailed model, previously developed by the same authors and verified in the same context; these estimates are more accurate for SHP plants not exceeding 150–175 kW of electrical power. These results suggest the applicability of the proposed method for feasibility studies or large-scale projects of small SHP plants.

Hydrogen Power Plant Site Selection Under Fuzzy Multicriteria Decision-Making (FMCDM) Environment Conditions

“…Pamucar et al [10] combined the use of Geographical Information Systems (GIS) with multi-criteria techniques of Best-Worst method (BWM) and Multi Attributive Ideal-Real Comparative Analysis (MAIRCA) for wind farm location selection. Nicotra et al [11] presented equivalent small hydropower: A simple method to evaluate energy production by small turbines in collective irrigation systems. Noorollahi [12] proposed multi-criteria decision support system for wind farm site selection using GIS.…”

An Improved Techno-Economic Approach to Determination of More Precise Installed Parameter for Small Hydropower Plants

“…The proposed energy model evaluates the main technical parameters of potential SHPP, while the economic model is able to estimate the profitability of the initial investment by determining profitability index and discounted payback period. Nicotra et al [32] proposed a simple method for evaluating the technical (installed capacity) and economic (costs and incomes) feasibility of micro hydro power plants in existing irrigation systems. Tiago Filho et al [33] presented aspect factor (AF), as a function of capacity and head, used to estimate the cost of the SHPPs.…”