Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Prospects of micro-hydropower plants in Northeast India: a brief review

  • Review Article
  • Published:
International Journal of Energy and Water Resources Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

To meet India’s ever-increasing power demand and to stop dependence on coal imports, hydropower seems to be a very favourable alternative, which is clean, renewable, and eco-friendly. This paper reviews India’s hydropower scenario along with various constraints that hinder the tapping of the huge hydroelectric potential, especially in the north-eastern states. The prospects of using micro hydropower plants to outweigh the threats posed by the large dams in northeast India have been discussed along with various hurdles that impede the hydro potential of the region. An effort has also been made to highlight a few noteworthy researches in the field of micro-hydropower plants carried out in recent years. In the end, a Strength-Weakness-Opportunity-Threat analysis has been done to discuss the various aspects of setting up micro-hydroelectric power plants in this region.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Abbasi, T., & Abbasi, S. A. (2011). Small hydro and the environmental implications of its extensive utilization. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 15(4), 2134–2143.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Acharya, N., Kim, C. G., Thapa, B., & Lee, Y. H. (2015). Numerical analysis and performance enhancement of a cross-flow hydro turbine. Renewable Energy, 80, 819–826.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Alternate Hydro Energy Centre, Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee. (2003). Study on design and development of model SHP based self sustained projects.

  • Anagnostopoulos, J. S., & Papantonis, D. E. (2007). Optimal sizing of a run-of-river small hydropower plant. Energy Conversion and Management, 48(10), 2663–2670.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Berrada, A., Bouhssine, Z., & Arechkik, A. (2019). Optimisation and economic modeling of micro hydropower plant integrated in water distribution system. Journal of Cleaner Production, 232, 877–887.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Borkowski, D., Węgiel, M., Ocłoń, P., & Węgiel, T. (2019). CFD model and experimental verification of water turbine integrated with electrical generator. Energy, 185, 875–883.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brahmaputra River System. Water Resources Government of Assam. https://waterresources.assam.gov.in/portlet-innerpage/brahmaputra-river-system

  • Cernea, M.M. (2004). Social impacts and social risks in hydropower programs: Preemptive planning and counter-risk measures. In Keynote address: Session on social aspects of hydropower development. United Nations Symposium on Hydropower and Sustainable Development Beijing, China.

  • Cobb, B. R., & Sharp, K. V. (2013). Impulse (Turgo and Pelton) turbine performance characteristics and their impact on pico-hydro installations. Renewable Energy, 50, 959–964.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Comino, E., Dominici, L., Ambrogio, F., & Rosso, M. (2020). Mini-hydro power plant for the improvement of urban water-energy nexus toward sustainability—a case study. Journal of Cleaner Production, 249, 119416.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Criteria for earthquake resistant design of structures: General provisions and buildings, Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) IS 1893:2002 (Part I). https://law.resource.org/pub/in/bis/S03/is.1893.1.2002.pdf

  • Das, P. K. (2013). North-East, ‘the power house of India’: Prospects and problems. IOSR Journal of Humanities and Social Science (IOSR-JHSS), 18(3), 36–48.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Development and Growth in Northeast India, The natural resources, Water and Environment Nexus, Strategic report, 2007. Report No. 36397-IN.

  • Elbatran, A. H., Yaakob, O. B., Ahmed, Y. M., & Shabara, H. M. (2015). Operation, performance and economic analysis of low head micro-hydropower turbines for rural and remote areas: A review. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 43, 40–50.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fernando, S. (2002). An assessment of the small hydro potential in Sri Lanka. Energy for Sustainable Development, 6(1), 95–98.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fuentes-Bargues, J. L., & Ferrer-Gisbert, P. S. (2015). Selecting a small run-of-river hydropower plant by the analytic hierarchy process (AHP): A case study of Miño-Sil river basin, Spain. Ecological Engineering, 85, 307–316.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Genus, A., & Iskandarova, M. (2020). Transforming the energy system? Technology and organisational legitimacy and the institutionalisation of community renewable energy. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 125, 109795.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Handique, K., & Dutta, A. (2014). Power and North East: The hydro power scenario of North East. International Journal of Science and Research, 3(12), 602–609.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hasan, M. H., Mahlia, T. I., & Nur, H. (2012). A review on energy scenario and sustainable energy in Indonesia. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 16(4), 2316–2328.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hatata, A. Y., El-Saadawi, M. M., & Saad, S. (2019). A feasibility study of small hydro power for selected locations in Egypt. Energy Strategy Reviews, 24, 300–313.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • https://mnre.gov.in/research-and-development/small-hydro

  • Hydropower Development in India: A Sector Assessment. (2017). https://www.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in/files/file/ADB-Hydropower-Development-in-India.pdf.

  • Ibrahim, M., Imam, Y., & Ghanem, A. (2019). Optimal planning and design of run-of-river hydroelectric power projects. Renewable Energy, 141, 858–873.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Inayat, A., & Raza, M. (2019). District cooling system via renewable energy sources: A review. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 107, 360–373.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • India-Countries & Regions–IEA https://www.iea.org/countries/india

  • International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). (2012). Renewable energy technologies: Cost analysis series. International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), 1, 274.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jawahar, C. P., & Michael, P. A. (2017). A review on turbines for micro hydro power plant. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 72, 882–887.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kaldellis, J. K., Vlachou, D. S., & Korbakis, G. (2005). Techno-economic evaluation of small hydro power plants in Greece: A complete sensitivity analysis. Energy Policy, 33(15), 1969–1985.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kaunda, C. S., Kimambo, C. Z., & Nielsen, T. K. (2012). Hydropower in the context of sustainable energy supply: a review of technologies and challenges. International Scholarly Research Notices, Renewable Energy. https://doi.org/10.5402/2012/730631

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Khan, M. A., Rehman, S., & Al-Sulaiman, F. A. (2018). A hybrid renewable energy system as a potential energy source for water desalination using reverse osmosis: A review. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 97, 456–477.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Khurana, S., & Kumar, A. (2011). Small hydro power—a review. International Journal of Engineering, Science and Metallurgy, 1(1), 278–282.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kumar, A. and Verma, H.K., (2007). Indian Initiative to Develop Standards, Guidelines and Manuals for Small Hydropower. In International Conference on Small Hydropower-Hydro Sri Lanka (Vol. 22, p. 24).

  • Kumar, R., & Singal, S. K. (2015). Penstock material selection in small hydropower plants using MADM methods. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 52, 240–255.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Leon, A. S., & Zhu, L. (2014). A dimensional analysis for determining optimal discharge and penstock diameter in impulse and reaction water turbines. Renewable Energy, 71, 609–615.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liu, F., Tait, S., Schellart, A., Mayfield, M., & Boxall, J. (2020). Reducing carbon emissions by integrating urban water systems and renewable energy sources at a community scale. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 123, 109767.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Locker, H. (2004). Environmental issues and management for hydropower peaking operations. New York: United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN-ESA).

    Google Scholar 

  • Mazumder S. Influx of mega dam in NE: A threat to native land. 2011. The Sentinel. https://mnre.gov.in/research-and-development/small-hydro

  • Michael, P. A., & Jawahar, C. P. (2017). Design of 15 kW micro hydro power plant for rural electrification at Valara. Energy Procedia, 117, 163–171.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Minar, H. (2012). Hydro Power Project Financing Scenario in India-A Case Study on Hydro Power Projects in India. In Paper Published & presented at GTU (Gujarat Technical University) sponsored International Conference on “Dynamics of Global Recession: Economics and Corporate Strategies for Survival and Growth”.

  • Mishra, S., Singal, S. K., & Khatod, D. K. (2011). Optimal installation of small hydropower plant—a review. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 15(8), 3862–3869.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • MNRE Annual Report 2009–10. https://mnre.gov.in/img/documents/uploads/fafb7d5750d641228c13987ae62d8f3b.pdf

  • MNRE Annual Report 2019–20. https://mnre.gov.in/img/documents/uploads/file_f-1585710569965.pdf

  • Mohan, M. R., Paranjothi, S. R., & Prince Israel, S. (1997). Use of pumped-hydro as peak-load management plant in optimal scheduling of power systems. Electric Machines and Power Systems, 25(10), 1047–1061.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mohibullah, M., Radzi, A.M. and Hakim, M.I.A., (2004). Basic design aspects of micro hydro power plant and its potential development in Malaysia. In PECon 2004. Proceedings. National Power and Energy Conference, 2004. (pp. 220–223). IEEE.

  • Murari R, Chitra R, Gupta M. 2011. Current Status and Future Scenarios of Hydropower Development in India. Proceedings of International Conference on Advances in Civil Engineering 2011; INV: 47–56.

  • Najmaii, M., & Movaghar, A. (1992). Optimal design of run-of-river power plants. Water Resources Research, 28(4), 991–997.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Namy, S. (2007). Addressing the social impacts of large hydropower dams. The Journal of International Policy Solutions, 7, 11–17.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nasir, B. A. (2014). Design considerations of micro-hydro-electric power plant. Energy Procedia, 50, 19–29.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nath, D. R. (2015). Small hydro power and its potentiality in Assam. International Journal of Engineering Trends and Technology, 23(8), 391–395.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Neogi, D. (2010). Disparity in socio-economic development and its implications on communal conflicts: A study on India’s North-Eastern region. International Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences, 4(3), 259–266.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nigussie, T., Engeda, A., & Dribssa, E. (2017). Design, modeling, and CFD analysis of a micro hydro Pelton turbine runner: For the case of selected site in Ethiopia. International Journal of Rotating Machinery. https://doi.org/10.1155/2017/3030217

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Omer, A. M. (2008). Energy, environment and sustainable development. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 12(9), 2265–2300.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Organisation de coopération et de développement économiques. (2015). Understanding energy challenges in India: Policies, players and issues. IEA. https://doi.org/10.1787/9789264247444-en

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ozdemir, M. T., & Orhan, A. (2012). An experimental system for electrical and mechanical education: Micro hydro power plant prototype. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 47, 2114–2119.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Paish, O. (2002). Small hydro power: Technology and current status. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 6(6), 537–556.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pasalli, Y. R., & Rehiara, A. B. (2014). Design planning of micro-hydro power plant in hink river. Procedia Environmental Sciences, 20, 55–63.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Power Potential of North East by NEEPCO, https://neepco.co.in/projects/power-potential

  • Punys, P., & Pelikan, B. (2007). Review of small hydropower in the new Member States and Candidate Countries in the context of the enlarged European Union. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 11(7), 1321–1360.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rahaman, M. M., & Varis, O. (2009). Integrated water management of the Brahmaputra basin: Perspectives and hope for regional development. In Natural Resources Forum, 33(1), 60–75.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rai, A. K., & Kumar, A. (2016). Analyzing hydro abrasive erosion in Kaplan turbine: A case study from India. Journal of Hydrodynamics Series B, 28(5), 863–872.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ramanathan, K., & Abeygunawardena, P. (2007). Hydropower development in India: A sector assessment. Mandaluyong: Asian Development Bank.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ranjitkar, G., Huang, J. and Tung, T. (2006). Application of micro-hydropower technology for remote regions. In 2006 IEEE EIC Climate Change Conference (pp. 1–10).

  • Ratnata, I. W., Saputra, W. S., Somantri, M., Mulyana, E., & Ardhika, A. (2018). Preliminary study of micro-hydro power plant (MHPP) in the rural area. In IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering, 384(1), 012067.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Razan, J. I., Islam, R. S., Hasan, R., Hasan, S., & Islam, F. (2012). A comprehensive study of micro-hydropower plant and its potential in Bangladesh. ISRN Renewable Energy. https://doi.org/10.5402/2012/635396

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sammartano, V., Morreale, G., Sinagra, M., Collura, A., & Tucciarelli, T. (2014). Experimental study of cross-flow micro-turbines for aqueduct energy recovery. Procedia Engineering, 89, 540–547.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Signe, E. B. K., Hamandjoda, O., & Nganhou, J. (2017). Methodology of feasibility studies of micro-hydro power plants in cameroon: Case of the micro-hydro of KEMKEN. Energy Procedia, 119, 17–28.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Statistics, E., (2013). Twentieth Issue. National Statistical Organisation, Government of India. Study on Design and Development of Model SHP Based Self Sustained Projects, Alternate Hydro Energy Centre, Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee, 2003

  • Tanutwutthigorn, K., & Suntivarakorn, R. (2019). Efficiency improvement and economic analysis of micro hydro power plant by using twin vertical hydro turbine. In IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, 257(1), 012038.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tapia, A., Reina, D. G., & Millán, P. (2020). Optimized micro-hydro power plants layout design using messy genetic algorithms. Expert Systems with Applications, 159, 113539.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vagholikar, N. and Das, P.J. (2010). Damming northeast India: juggernaut of hydropower projects theatens social and environmental security of region, Kalpavriksh. https://www.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in/files/Damming%20Northeast%20India_%20Kalpavriksh_%20Aaranyak_ActionAid%20India_2010.pdf

  • Varun, Bhat, & I. K., & Prakash, R., (2009). LCA of renewable energy for electricity generation systems—a review. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 13(5), 1067–1073.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wagner, B., Hauer, C., & Habersack, H. (2019). Current hydropower developments in Europe. Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability, 37, 41–49.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wazed, M., & Ahmed, S. (2008). Micro hydro energy resources in Bangladesh: A review. Australian Journal of Basic and Applied Sciences, 2(4), 1209–1222.

    Google Scholar 

  • World Bank, (2007). Development and Growth in Northeast India: The Natural Resources, Water, and Environment Nexus. Joint Study of DONER, Ministry of Development of North Eastern India, Govt of India and World Bank.

  • Yumnam, J. (2012). An assessment of Dams in Northeast India seeking carbon credits from clean development mechanism of the United Nations framework convention on climate change. https://www.internationalrivers.org/sites/default/files/attachedfiles/damsandcdm_ne_india_april__2012.pdf

  • Zema, D. A., Nicotra, A., Tamburino, V., & Zimbone, S. M. (2016). A simple method to evaluate the technical and economic feasibility of micro hydro power plants in existing irrigation systems. Renewable Energy, 85, 498–506.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang, M., Valentín, D., Valero, C., Egusquiza, M., & Egusquiza, E. (2019). Failure investigation of a Kaplan turbine blade. Engineering Failure Analysis, 97, 690–700.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Dr. Agnimitra Biswas, Assistant Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering NIT Silchar, Assam, India for offering constructive suggestions and valuable feedback to develop this article.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Barak Valley Engineering College, Nirala, Karimganj, Assam, 788701, India

    T. Deshamukhya

  2. Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Institute of Infrastructure Technology Research and Management (IITRAM), Ahmedabad, Gujarat, 380026, India

    G. Choubey

Authors
  1. T. Deshamukhya
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. G. Choubey
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to G. Choubey.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors. The author declares that there is no conflict of interest regarding the publication of this paper.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Deshamukhya, T., Choubey, G. Prospects of micro-hydropower plants in Northeast India: a brief review. Int J Energ Water Res 7, 297–308 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42108-022-00197-x

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s42108-022-00197-x

Keywords

Search

Navigation