Potential Assessment Of Small Scale/Micro Hydro Power For Rural Electrification And Specific Site System Design In Kafa Zone South Western Of Ethiopia

Abstract

Energy security and environmental protection are the major bottlenecks of development policies and strategies in developing countries. Renewable energy technologies especially Small/Micro Hydropower (MHP) schemes have been identified as one of the best options for decentralized power generation in rural areas In this study MHP potential sites selection followed by intensive field survey was undertaken to technically and socio economically analysis of the power that would be generate and community load to avoid un match between power and the community population in the study area and to determine its feasibility for being constructed nearby feature Ethiopia is situated in horn of Africa with a total population of 80 million of which 85% is living in rural areas where access to modern electricity is difficult, with electrification status negligible and being < 1% . These communities are settled farther away from the national grid and are sparsely populated which makes extending the national grid to them uneconomical because of the high cost of transmission and the very low load factor. However, improving the life style of the population as well as the economy of a country will be difficult without energy especially modern energy systems. In the Millennium Development Goals of SSA and the Growth and Transformation Plan (increasing total electricity access from 41% in 2010 to 75% in 2015) of Ethiopia, increased access to modern energy in all sectors is one of the pillars. In most instances the possible role of small scale hydropower has been recognized, as in the new draft for energy strategy of the World Bank that does specifically highlight small scale hydropower as an important component of future World Bank activities in Africa Small Scale hydro power is recognized as one of the most viable sources of clean, renewable and abundant alternative energy resources for sustainable development in isolated rural areas of SSA countries The socio-economic study indicated that social and economic situation of the HHs in the study area is well suited for community oriented development practice with more than 70% of the HHs having an annual income of more than $ 350/yr. Moreover, they currently have an energy expense of $18/year-$36/year for lighting only Finally because of this research 6 potential sites are identified, so from this 6 potential site we can generate power 103.7kw and the total energy 2488.8wh /day means 2488800wh considering per house hold consumption 82w From this potential sites 30,351 house hold or 182,107 people would be electrified this shows that the power that could be generated from each power plant site is more than enough of the load to be supplied and even it can supply for an increase in demand of at least 50% of today’s demand. Except one sites at Hamani sites which not feasible for MHP, the remaining are taken to be a hydro-only system. The design discharge of the case study site is o.4 m3/s and net head is 13.5m the power that can be extract 34.4kw