Analysis and evaluation of small hydropower plants: A bibliographical survey

Hydropower, large and small, remains by far the most important of the “renewable energy” for electrical power production worldwide, providing 19% of the planet׳s electricity. Small-scale hydro is in most cases “run-of-river”, with no dam or water storage, and is one of the most cost-effective and environmentally benign energy technologies to be considered for rural electrification in less developed countries. For development of such small hydro-power plants, simple and generally applicable procedures and methods for the design are lacking. The interest in small hydro-power resources is increasing but few published guidelines exist for project design. This study aims in providing a general guidance with regards to economical design and practical realization of the main components of small hydro-power plants and their interactions. There is abundant literature which has discussed various models and control techniques used for small hydro-power plants. We envisage that summarizing such literature and coming out with a review paper would greatly help the policy/decision makers and researchers in arriving at effective solutions.