Mini and Micro Hydel Projects

Ask any engineer in the power generating sector for the minimum requirement for a hydel power station; you are bound to hear a plethora of technical jargons- pent house, governors, turbines, generators, kinetic energy and what not. But in Peru, electricity is generated with just 3-metre head and plastic pipes as a pent house. The generators are improvised bicycle dynamos. That is sufficient for a couple of families around, and distribution is with Aluminium conductors. And there is not much of a power shortage in Peru.

In fact, mini or micro hydel power stations are ideal for countries like India where there are abundant water falls and non-electrified habitations around. It is not necessarily the hydel power be generating electricity, but they could be connected to water mills, water pumps for irrigation directly. When connects to direct applications, the efficiency is higher and distribution losses nil.

Micro hydel projects and water n=mills can provide a solution for remote areas where the reach of the grid system is not feasible. During colonial time, a lot many micro hydel plants were installed in tea and coffee estates. They have carved out tree trunks as penstock pipes. The trend continues even now in different plantations.

The thumb rule pricing of the mini hydel project is Rs 2 lakhs/KW. ($3000 / KW). 

In India, the MNES (Ministry of Non-Conventional energy sources) gives subsidy for Watermills and Micro Hydel Projects as under:

Mechanical output only: Rs. 35,000/- per Watermill.

Electrical output (up to 5 kW) : Rs. 1,10,000/- per Watermill.

Both mechanical & electrical output (up to 5 kW) : Rs. 1,10,000/- per Watermill The water mills costs approx. Two lakhs/KW.

MNES estimate the price of putting up Micro Hydel Projects up to 100 kW Capacity is around Rs.40,000/- per KW.

It is time we think about this free energy as fossil fuels are depleting faster than we ever imagined. The advantage of hydel power is that the water can still be used for irrigation purposes downstream. We can fight the climatic change and the Carbon foot print even at a grass root level.