History of Micro hydro power in Nepal(1)

• Water mills (locally called as Ghatta) in rural areas from time

immemorial
• Balaju Yantra Shala established in 1960 through Swiss assistance.
• UMN established of institutions to support technology
development mostly in Butwal, 1960-1970
• private workshops based on indigenous knowledge and practices
established in Kathmandu and in Butwal primarily to produce and
install small water mills, widely known as “Turbine Mill” during
the 1970s.
• The water Mills were used extensively for processing of
agricultural products utilizing direct mechanical power.
 History of Micro hydro power in Nepal(2)

• Addition of generators for electrification and the

establishment of private manufacturing companies
further spread in eighties and subsequent decades. 
• Most of equipment or components (e.g., Turbines, Trash
Racks, Mild steel Pipes, Conductors and Load Controllers)
are, in general, locally manufactured in Nepal.
• Generator and valves are imported from abroad
especially from India and china, and also from Europe in
some cases.
 History of Micro hydro power in Nepal(3)

• The evolution of the standardization process,

rather in a limited manner, started from late
eighties.
• Intermediate Technology Development Group
(ITDG) and the Agricultural Development Bank
of Nepal (ADB/N) initialed a joint programme
in order to enhance the technological base of
the micro-hydro installations in the country. 
 History of Micro hydro power in Nepal(4)
• AEPC as a policy and advisory body was set up in 1996 to promote
the use of alternative/renewable energy technologies which co-
worked with the development partners, private sectors, NGOs/INGOs
to provide policy, technical and financial support. Institutional lead:
Alternative Energy Promotion Centre (AEPC) under the Ministry of
Environment
• With the active participation from the private sector and through the
technical and financial assistance of AEPC and other
national/international financing agencies, till 2013, 2778 micro and
pico hydro plant with total installed capacity of 26.5 MW were
installed
• By the same time, there were 8493 number of units for mechanical
power generation for milling
Introduction to micro hydro power
• Usually isolated supplying just to one rural area or community
• Located in remote location with no grid access
• Micro-hydro- a major source of energy for rural areas
• a more practical and cost effective alternative for meeting
rural energy needs
• Sometimes connected to mini grid for reliability
• Plentiful of water and terrain with appreciable slope in hills
provides a very good micro hydro potential in the country
• Also used for milling powered by turbine without a generator
 Where does micro hydro fit in the
classification
AEPC Classification:
• 0-5 kw :pico hydro
• 5kw -100 kw :micro hydro
• 100kw -1000kw :mini hydro
A Typical Micro Hydro Layout(1)
A Typical Micro Hydro Layout(2)
 Capability and Demand Survey
• Why?
-To explore whether the scheme will be effectively managed
over its life in terms of tariff collection, maintaining financial
accounts, resolving conflicts, distributing welfare benefits
etc. and to assess the assistance required to raise capability
of locals to required level.
-To explore what demand is there for a new scheme, how
much and where it is needed and in what form, whether
there is willingness and ability to pay and how would the
new scheme bring the benefit to less advantaged people
and what are the disadvantages of the scheme.
 Items to be covered by Capability and
Demand Survey(1)
• Map of village showing distances and position
of house and possible future commercial
activities
• Types of people and their comments on how
the proposed scheme will affect their economic
security and opportunities in the future.
• Summary of institutions, organization etc who
may help in financing the scheme.
 Items to be covered by Capability and
Demand Survey(2)
• Description of current irrigation system and its
management and future plans for irrigation
and how people expect hydropower to affect
their irrigation system
• Assessment of capability of local organization
to manage complex scheme involving finance,
welfare distribution, operation and machinery
and maintenance of machinery
 Items to be covered by Capability and
Demand Survey(3)
• Interview notes from people/ institution
• Quantity of energy required, what for and when it
is required
• Description of new appliances and the way how
they are purchases, maintained and operated
• Assessment of likelyhood of effective and long
lasting distribution of benefits from the scheme to
the poor member of the community.
 Items to be covered by Capability and
Demand Survey(4)
• Recommendation for organizational
precondition for raising capability of locals
• A plan for management system explaining
how tariff and revenue would be collected
 Load factor and Plant factor
• Load Factor:
The ratio of total energy consumed in a particular period to the
total energy capacity connected to the consumers during the
same period.
• Plant Factor:
The ratio total energy consumed in a particular period to the
maximum energy available from the plant in the same period.

• The load factor considers consumer behaviour pattern and the

average consumption of power by the households whereas plant
factor shows to what extent the energy available from the plant
has been used.
 Example (Load factor and Plant factor)

• If 5 KW of power is used for six hours a day

from a 10 KW plant, calculate the load factor
and the plant factor?
 Importance of Plant factor
• The plant factor shows the extent of energy use
from the available energy potential.
• A lower plant factor means less energy
consumption, less revenue generated and a longer
payback periods which may even increase the plant
cost. A plant factor of 0.4 in the initial years and 0.6
or more in the subsequent years is desirable. Plant
factor can be improved by matching power supply
and demand through a careful capability and
demand survey.
Hydrograph
 Matching Power Supply and Demand
• Decide what priority you give to each use of water.
• Consider how the water demand variation throughout the year
compares with water availability. To do this, prepare a
demand/supply graph for a typical year.
• Prepare a demand supply graph for a typical day.
• Calculate the plant factor considering only the primary loads.
• Calculate the plant factor with addition of secondary loads.
• Consider minimum down time and modify the plant factor
accordingly.
• Calculate the unit energy cost and compare with other available
alternatives.
 Matching Power Supply and
Demand:Example
A micro hydro is proposed with following demand and supply data:
• Gross head: 25 metres
• Flow as shown in the hydro graph
• Electrical lighting: 20 KW, 6pm to 12 pm
• Milling: Miller desires 12 KW, but is ready to do with 6 KW if not
possible, 8 am to 4 pm
• Battery charging: 1 KW
• Heat storage cookers: Only 10 villagers, 200 watts each
• Irrigation demand: Water needed for 3 dry months, 400 hectares,
each hectare needs 5 m3 per day, demand will double within 4
years.
Is there enough water to satisfy this demand? Is so will the
proposed scheme be financially justified against a diesel option
offering a unit energy cost of 8 cents per kilo watt hour?