Small Hydro and SE4ALL - Opportunities

Pro

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f Sm

all H

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Res

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Nep

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Hitendra Dev Shakya, System Planning Dpt, NEA

OUTLINE

1. Small Hydro Power and SE4ALL - Grid and Off-Grid power

2. The SHP space in Nepal - Grid Solutions with SHP/DG in mind

3. NEA Experiences in hydro-turbines

4. Room for R&D and Engineering Designs

Country Background

•Area of 147,141 km2 and Mountainous

• 6000+ rivers, recently shown 11,000+ rivers/ rivulets

•Small rivers - Utilizing the topography and hydrology vs the

economy of scale

•Opportunity for Small Hydro-Power (SHP)

3

Present CapacityInstalled Capacity: 1001.0 MW

In Grid 956.4 MW Off Grid(NEA) 4.6 MWOff grid(AEPC) 40 (26+14) MW

Hydro 903 MW Thermal 53.4 MW

ROR 811 MW Storage 92 MW

IPP 430 NEA 381

Estimates of Potential Exploitable Renewable

Energy Capacities

Technology Potentially

Exploitable

Current

Capacity

Hydropower* (Economic

potential)

42,000 MW 903 MW

Mini-hydro 100kW -1000KW

(practically exploitable)

>100 MW 14.4 MW

Micro-hydro 5kw – 100 kW

(practically exploitable)

>80 MW 24.6 MW

Solar PV power 2,100 MW 11.6 MW

Wind 3,000 MW 0.03 MW

Source – Economic Survey, 2014/15 /Baseline for Rural and renewable energy technologies

NEA and Small Hydro Projects

1. NEA decided to lease away off-grid SHPs 10 years ago.

2. In all cases of Off-Grid SHP operation – operational loss,

3 NEA will not construct any further SHPs, Off-grid or On-grid. AEPC constructs Off-Grid HP – mini / micro/ / pico

4. NEA comes to picture when Off-grid power plants are encroached by its expanding distribution network.

5. AEPC established in 1996 - Initially MHP upto 100kW, authorized up to 1 MW. Now, seeking mandate till 10 MW.

6. On-Grid SHP - Micro/Small HP (private) can have a PPA with NEA and connect to NEA substation.

Plant sizes of IPP at present – Predominantly

SMALL HEPs

Role of SHP as Distributed Generation and

Expedited SE4ALL

Independent Power Producers ( Grid-connected)

57 power plants operational – 55 are less than 50 MW, and 49 are actually 10 MW or smaller

138 IPPs are under construction, 80 of them are 10 MW or smaller.

Only 11 HEPs are 50MW or larger.

SHP Potential (up to 10 MW) - 2000 MW

Recent unverified claims of total capacity 300,000MW, many are SHEP from small rivers

Small Hydropower Projects in Nepal(SHEP classified hereas 100-1000 kW)

S.

N

Name of the

Project

Managemen

t

Cap.

kWGrid Status

1 Achham NEA 400 Isolated

2 BaglungNEA 200 Grid

Connected

3 Surnaiyagad NEA 200 Isolated

4 Bajhang Private 200 Isolated

5 BajuraCommunit

y

200 Isolated

6 Bhojpur Private 250 Isolated

7 RupalgadPrivate 100 Not in

Operation

8Darchula 1 and

2

Private 300 Isolated

9 Rairang Private 500 Operation

10 Dhankuta NEA 240 Isolated

11 Dolpa NEA 200 Isolated

12 Doti NEA 200 Isolated

13 Arughat Gorkha NEA 150 Isolated

14 Phidim Community 240 Isolated

15 JumlaCommunity

200 Isolated

16 Kalikot Community 500 Isolated

17 Syange Private 183 Operation

18 Jomsom Private 240 Grid Connected

19 Okhaldunga 125 Isolated

20 Ramechap NEA 150 Isolated

21 Chauijhari NEA 150 Isolated

22 Syarpudaha NEA 200 Isolated

23 Khandbari Community 250 Isolated

24 Namche Community 600 Isolated

25 Jhupra NEA

345 Isolated

26 Sobuwa Khola Community 125 Isolated

27 Tehrathum Private 100 Isolated

HEALTH AND

SANITATION

IMPROVEMENT

LABOR SAVING

AND

DRUDGERY

REDUCTION

SOCIAL, CAPITAL

BUILDING &

EMPOWERMENT

BETTER

EDUCATION AND

AWARENESS

EMPLOYMENT &

INCOME

INCREMENT

HRD &

CAPACITY

BUILDING

MAJOR

IMPACT

ENHANCED

LIVELIHOODS

FUEL WOOD, BIOMASS.

KEROSENE & DIESEL

CONSUMPTION

REDUCTION

LOCAL

RESOURCES (WATER,

FOREST, LAND AND

SKILL) OPTIMIZATION

Off-Grid Hydro - Achievements and Impact

Sustainable Energy For All (SE4ALL)

Sustainable Development Goal no 7 –

Access to Clean Energy for All by 2030

Status 2016

Access to electricity: 75%, (60% grid, 15% renewable)

Goal – Access to Electricity to 99% by 2030

Adequacy of Power Supply – increase in domestic generation (1000MW) and Import from India

Off-Grid electricity is small, expensive & unsustainable.

Challenge – Provide Access to Grid – Transmission and Sub-transmission and distribution networks –Capital Intensive

Sustainable Energy For All (SE4ALL)

Investments required to expand Grid to Remote areas

NEA Transmission Master Plan ( upto 132 kV) – 5.5 Billion $ Required in 20 years

NEA Distribution Master Plan – under progress –similar amount required

Grid Map of Nepal Areas covered by Grid Electricity

India

China

Off-Grid NepalMap of areas covered by AEPC

14

Investment on Transmission

Label 2015 2020 2025 2030 2035

All Zones Commissioning from 2015 2020 2025 2030 2035 Total

to year 2019 2024 2029 2034

MUSD MUSD MUSD MUSD MUSD MUSD

Lines Comm. 412.8 621.1 214.2 0.0 0.0 1248.1

Lines Planned 138.1 332.6 181.7 0.0 0.0 652.3

Lines All 550.9 953.7 395.9 0.0 0.0 1900.5

S/S Existing 123.0 60.2 13.2 34.5 26.1 257.1

S/S Comm. 410.0 231.3 82.7 81.5 0.0 805.4

S/S Planned 47.4 358.0 215.2 67.1 5.3 693.1

S/S All 580.5 649.5 311.1 183.0 31.4 1755.6

Total Existing 123.0 60.2 13.2 34.5 26.1 257.1

Total Comm. 822.8 852.4 296.9 81.5 0.0 2053.6

Total Planned 185.5 690.6 396.9 67.1 5.3 1345.4

Total All 1131.4 1603.2 707.0 183.0 31.4 3656.0

Connection Lines 142.6 584.2 420.4 76.8 4.1 1228.1

Connection Bays 38.5 83.6 118.4 25.4 6.5 272.4

Grand Total 1312.5 2270.9 1245.9 285.2 42.0 5156.5

The core of the transmission network is to be commissioned during the next 10 years. The totalinvestment cost planned for the whole 2015-2035 period amounts to 5.15 billion USD and ismainly concentrated in first ten years, i.e. between 2015 and 2025:

1. Grid expansion is targeted towards large loads and generators - Market-based Transmission Development –Directed towards Large Generators and Consumers

2. Grid Expansion is Capital intensive having Low returns

3. Grid expansion is afflicted by ROW issues & large affected areas –

4. Both forces transmission lines under Government domain.

5. Transmission Network is centrally planned (Top-down approach) and the expansion is slow

How Long to wait?>> From Grid Expansion Direction >>

How long to catch-up?>>Looking from the Rural Off-Grid Model>>

• High subsidy required. – MHP - Design at river discharge of high exceedence (Q90); yet Plant factor is 20-30% only.

• Poor sustainability– Low Income ( low plant factor/ low productive uses) forces low quality of Operation. – Distance from Road-head increases O&M time and cost– The distribution network – Poor, not safe for grid connection.

• Low skill/ knowhow, low p.f. and low revenue, accessibility, less room for industrial use >> Tendency to Fail

• So Off-Grid MHP does not answer the Need of SE4ALL.

• High Proliferation of MHP / SHP needs a different approach from both On-Grid and Off-Grid

Most villages would find a viable river source for MHP ( pico, micro or mini) if a workable business model and funding available – while providing “Access to Energy” >> NOW

Bridging the Gap – a step towards each-other

Creativity and adaptation

Grid Solutions to Off-Grid distribution

1. Inter-connection of Clusters of small power plants in a mini-grid ready for Connectivity with Grid

2. Help / subsidy >> Grid-readiness for remote/ offgrid generators/ users >> synchronizing switchgear and relaying

3. Government support for Grid Connectivity / Sub-transmission –> Subsidy or VGF - > Sustainability of the DG and also enable expansion of grid.

4. Distributed Generation has Multiple Impacts on Local economy that offsets the Initial high costs of electricity

5. Grid-Connected DG has Higher Revenue – high PF – becomes sustainable.

6. There are Spin-off for Grid - Reduces demand on Reinforcement of grid & Reactive power management by doing Distributed generation

Grid Energy is mostly cheaper and reliable than Isolated systems.

>> EARLY ACCESS TO CLEAN ELECTRICITY BY ALL >>

Grid Solutions

Integrated Planning for

Sub-transmission

network

Community Electricity

Users Groups CEUG– Hand-

over

Build and Transfer BT Policy for

Private Generators

Change Approach –

Grid Planning for DG and

Rural Access

Policy for Transmission charges and Private Trans

owner / operator

MHP subsidy

Extend TO Grid

Synchroequipment

Subsidy / Soft Loan for 33 and 11 kV sub-trans /distrib links to

Grid Energy to All by

National Grid

Access

Focus- DG and Village

Load potential

Funding Deficit-> Private Capital

Use Hydro-developers’ strength for Construction

& ROW

Efficient Admin of

Rural Consumers

Sustainable / Profitable

MHP –“Most Bang

for Buck”

Earlier Access ->

Amortized costs

Off-Grid

Grid Side

What has worked? MHP and distribution network with larger consumer base and

anchor loads– Case - Khumbu Bijuli (900kW), Salleri Chyalsa(400kW) ) Having Periodic oversight and Support

Subsidized tariff to CEUG ( having small consumers & capped to 5 A users) – Successful CEUGs adapting the lessons learnt.

What needs reform? Stand-alone MHPs with weak consumer base – Scale –up ! Rural Electrification without Regional planning –> Top-Down

Optimize! Subsidy for MHP / Rural electrification – Include Grid

Connectivity with Partial Payback (90/10 model ) in the Integrated Subsidy model !

What can be improved ? Involve community / private –for sub-transmission networks

using subsidy/ VGF model Involve Private / Developers for sustainable SHP connected to

Main Grid

20

Solution of SE4ALL - Proliferation of SHP

21

Proliferation of SHP - Generates Demand for Domestic capability for

SHP – in Turbines, Generators and Hydro-mechanicals

Capacity Building is required

- Locally – Installation, Operation and Repair

- and Nationally – Design, Commission, R&D, Manufacture

Issues faced by NEA / IPP today –

In-situ Testing of Turbine efficiency and Output,

Runner profiling, Template design,

Turbine Size restriction for repair,

Protective coating of turbines, Different coating according to the

sediment content, size and shape;

Cavitation and vibration – analysis and solutions to installed units

SMALL HYDRO HAS ISSUES ....

Issues in MHP/SHP development in Nepal.

• Himalayan rivers and increased climate vulnerability –

puts more demand on specific research in Nepal –

special designs of turbine and special designs of civil/

hydraulic structures

• R&D has to be increased.

• Indigenous capability needs to be enhanced – Sufficient

local knowledge in hydrology and civil design works but only

basic EM manufacture is available

• Operation and Maintenance capability nationally and

locally (MHP) has to be increased.

• Testing facilities required

• More Professional Training centers required

Trend in Hydro-Sector towards Engineering Services

24

Hydro-Power Developers are identifying the need and the space

for Engineering Solution providers – Design, Engineer, R&D

Recent Trends

Butwal Power Company – engineering arm -> Hydro Consult co.

Chilime power company - -> Chilime Engg and Services Co

CHESCO

Sanima power compamy - > Sanima Engineering wing

Nepal Electricity Authority - > NEA Engineering Company (NEC)

Large company with sufficient capital base –

Tend to have enough resilience to support R&D. Smaller

engineering companies are restricted to Design / Engineering

consultancies

Dedicated Testing and R&D centers are few and mostly incubated

within Academic Institutions

Test labs/Workshops for

Repair / Maintenanceand

R&D for manufacture / design

WAY FORWARD

R&D Areas by Govt. AgenciesResearch on Hydro power includes

• Digital ELC, Turbines, SCADA system, Energy and Internet

(Tele linking), Study on sediments impact on turbines

• Research on Small Wind Energy

• Design on PM generator, wind blade for small and wind

mapping, Energy and Internet

Research on Mini grid system

•Study on Grid Impact Study, Smart inverter and net

metering, pre-paid meter

•Research on Hydraulic Modelling

•Civil / hydraulic structure modelling according to river

terrain/ content/ design

Computational analysis of Bifurcation

Computational analysis of Pelton turbineCFD analysis Torque estimation

Computational analysis of RPT

FSI analysis of Francis runner

R&D Work and Turbine Testing Laboratoryat academic institution -Kathmandu University and Nepal Academy of Science and Technology

R&D Work and Turbine Testing Laboratory• 30m natural head.

• 150 m Closed Head and 0.5 m3/s flow

• 300 m3 Lower Reservoir• 100 m3 Upper Reservoir

• Two centrifugal pumps each 250 kW with VFD (Variable Frequency Drive) for each pump.

• Prototype test up to 300 kW and model test for larger turbines.

THERE ARE PROBLEMS IN TURBINE FOR HIMALAYAN RIVERSRESEARCH CAN HELP YOU SEE THE SOLUTIONS

Repair and Maintenance

Repair of Francis Runner

TEST Facilities • Testing of Renewable Energy Technologies (Solar Panel,

Batteries, Lamps, Inverter, Solar Thermal, etc.) by “Renewable

Energy Test Station” and Non Destructive Test for Electro-

mechanical Components at Small Hydro laboratory - Nepal

Academy of Science and Technology (NAST).

• Turbine Testing Lab at Kathmandu University (KU).

• Transformer Testing (Hi-pot Test) at Institute of Engineering (IOE)

and HV lab for insulation tests at KU - for academic purpose only

• Hydraulic modelling Lab at Pulchowk

• Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT) by NEA

• Sediment Laboratories at some Power plants of NEA

• Distribution Transformer Test workshop in N E A in Hetauda

Creativity and adaptation

Keynotes• SHP – Need to Act now. There may not be a Second Chance

• Grid Expansion with Local DG in focus – Proliferation of SHP

• Investment in Grid Expansion – Govt and Private capital• Both sides (Grid and Off-Grid) move towards each other

– half-a-bridge -> Bridge Complete to achieve SE4ALL

• Proliferation of SHP –>> Commercial support for R&D, demand for model/ test/ manufacture / install/ repair

• Need for investment in Capacity Building / Academic research / Labs and Workshops

Thank you !!!