Blog Posts

HERE'S TO THE NEW YEAR!

1/1/2021

Wishing a healthy and happy New Year to all!

We’d like to thank our Board, advisors, members, and partners for their dedicated support to collectively advancing community-scale hydropower for energy access and rural livelihoods.

Committed hydro mini-grid practitioners on the ground continue to provide the inspiration behind HPNET’s mission, and the motivation to keep forging ahead. We look forward to greater knowledge exchange for impact in 2021.

Special thanks goes out to WISIONS for inspiring and making our work possible.

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SEEED: PRODUCTIVE END USE AND SOCIAL ENTERPRISE

12/30/2020

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Our initiative Social Enterprise for Energy, Ecological and Economic Development (SEEED) supports community-scale hydro practitioners and communities to achieve long-term technical, environmental, institutional, and financial sustainability of their hydro mini-grids -- towards lasting community empowerment and increased climate resilience.

Central to the SEEED approach is the transition of community-based hydro mini-grids that have limited operation and barely surviving financially (e.g. limited to being a social asset only), into becoming self-sustained social enterprises that earn from well-managed, nature-based electricity generation and distribution for household, social, and enterprise use. The difference between the social asset only and the social enterprise outcomes are illustrated in the two figures below.

The transition to successful social enterprise requires a number of core elements (as shown below). The foundational elements focus on functionality, namely quality of technical design and installation, as well as the condition of the catchment area that dictates the seasonal and long-term consistency of the water flow. These have been discussed in previous posts, discussing the need for technical standards and watershed strengthening.

This quarter we spotlight the SEEED elements that can be achieved once reliability is established, namely productive end use and inclusive enterprise aspects that bring value-add to local livelihoods.

Since the formation of our Productive End Use (PEU) Work Stream in 2015, we have been collating and ground truthing end uses of hydro mini-grids. We will soon be updating our PEU knowledge portal to include a compilation of community hydro end uses for cooking, healthcare, economic recovery, and climate resilience.

Our initial assessment of hydro mini-grids in the Asia Pacific have identified sub-elements that differentiate various models of inclusive enterprise, including the following:

Inclusive ownership models
Cost-recovery models
Revenue generation models (i.e. connection fees and tariff)
Effective management processes
Access to credit and smart subsidy

We will soon collaborate with partners to further analyze best practices within each of these sub-elements. The following examples of enterprise-based hydro mini-grids continue to inspire and refine our approach to the SEEED initiative, in terms of management, ownership, productive end use, and livelihoods enhancement aspects.

Asia Pacific

Winrock Nepal economically revived five micro hydro projects in Nepal, using a peer-to-peer approach, supported by WISIONS. Read more here.
The association Hydropower for Community Empowerment in Myanmar (HyCEM) is transitioning to cooperative-based models for hydro mini-grids. Read more here.
Hydropower Concern Ltd., under the leadership of Bir Bahadur Ghale in Nepal, uses a developer-owned approach that has led to high productive end use and economic resilience. Read more here.
The Aga Khan Rural Support Programme (AKRSP) has established community-owned mini-hydropower utilities that are electrifying entire valleys, while nurturing women-led enterprise. Read more here.

Africa

Energising Development (EnDev) Ethiopia is initiating a process to revive micro hydro projects, in order to instill optimization in end use and long-term sustainability using an enterprise-based approach. Read more here.
The Association des Ingénieurs pour le Développement des Energies Renouvelables (AIDER) installs and operates micro hydro systems in Madagascar. Read more here.

Latin America

Association of Rural Development Workers—Benjamin Linder (ATDER-BL) has interconnected multiple hydro mini-grids with each other, providing electricity to a sub-region in northern Nicaragua. Read more here.

As a part of our knowledge exchange process (below), we continue to look for additional examples for peer-to-peer exchange, in order to collectively advance community-scale hydropower. If you would like to share about your approach to sustainable hydro mini-grids, please let us know here!

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ETHIOPIA: REVIVING AND OPTIMIZING HYDRO MINI-GRIDS

12/28/2020

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In addition to Asia Pacific examples that inspire our SEEED initiative, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH (GIZ) through Energising Development (EnDev) Ethiopia is initiating a process to revive micro hydro projects, in order to instill optimization in end use and long-term sustainability using an enterprise-based approach.

The team leader for the project is HPNET member Bart Jan van Beuzekom, who previously led the formation of EnDeV Nepal’s Micro Hydro Debt Fund, a rare credit line made available to community-based micro hydro.

Read on to learn more about EnDev Ethiopia’s efforts to review and optimize hydro mini-grids.

A study developed by the KTH Royal Institute of Technology, the World Resources Institute, the World Bank and others estimates Ethiopia’s untapped mini hydro potential (< 1MW) to be 267.5 MW. Tapping this potential can help to address the 67% of Ethiopia’s rural population that is unelectrified. Towards providing energy access to the 60 million people that remain unelectrified across the country, EnDev Ethiopia has been actively advancing small-scale hydropower through project implementation and capacity building, in partnership with the Ethiopian Ministry of Water and Irrigation and Energy (MoWIE) and the GIZ Green People’s Energy for Africa (GPE) initiative.

EnDev Ethiopia supported the development of five micro hydro projects (MHPs) from 2013 - 2016, with the aim to enhance rural livelihoods through productive end use. Two of these sites are operating at limited capacity, while three have stopped operating. Implemented on a cost-sharing basis with local partners to pilot MHP management by cooperatives, EnDev Ethiopia is committed to reviving and optimizing all of the projects. The five MHP sites are located in the regions of SNNPR and Oromia, as shown on the map below.

MHP Site Locations in SNNPR and Oromia, Ethiopia. Credit: Google Earth.

The five MHP mini-grids feature the following key data:

Credit: GIZ.

The initial phase of the effort involved field visits to understand the social, technical, and management issues faced by each of the projects. The next phase, as detailed in the released ToR, focuses on structured data collection to assess reviving and optimizing the project focusing on the following assessments for each project.

Technical assessment.  The condition, functionality, operation records, safety, flow data, and electricity generation, units sold, and costs will be assessed, along with assessment of whether extending the distribution to nearby villages is feasible.

Management assessment.  The details of the MHP management roles and responsibilities; tariff collection; business model strengths and weaknesses; disputes; and the management aspects of the cooperative.

Productive end use assessment. Skillset for enterprise management, productive end use opportunities, regional best practices, catalog of end uses optimal for each cooperative, business plan for increasing load factors and revenue generation, appropriate micro finance institutions, and opportunities for scale up.

Social assessment.  Impact of electricity access on gender aspects, equitable decision making, and social service institutions.

EnDev Ethiopia’s initiative to rehabilitate and optimize micro hydro projects for economical and technical resilience are commendable and will lead to in-depth best practices for new project implementation and rehabilitating existing mini-grids. We look forward to following up with an update on the outcomes!

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EARTH VOICES: FROM KALASH, PAKISTAN

12/23/2020

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Our Earth Voices feature series explores how small-scale hydropower promotes ecological integrity and community well-being. Each edition highlights an indigenous community that practices environmental sustainability and conservation through community-scale hydropower.

In this edition of Earth Voices, environmental economist Mr. Hashim Zaman takes you to the Kalasha Valleys, in the heart of the Hindukush mountain range of Pakistan, where community-based mini hydropower (< 1MW) enables community-led initiatives and social enterprise development. For the indigenous Kalasha, this has helped build climate resilience as well as preserve their traditions and culture in one of the most isolated and inaccessible mountainous regions of Pakistan.

Note to readers: While our earlier Earth Voices case studies were developed using interviews, due to lack of direct access to the remote Kalash hydro communities at this time, we leveraged the next best option -- secondary research. We hope that you still find the article an insightful read on how community-scale hydropower has impacted the Kalasha.

A jeep enroute to Kalash valley. Credit: Zindagi-zoq-e-Safar

Descendants of Alexander the Great

Tucked away in the mighty Hindukush range resides an ancient tribe known as the Kalasha. The indigenous communities of Kalash reside amidst the three mountain valleys of Bamburet, Rumboor and Birir, located in the Chitral District of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province of northern Pakistan. [1]

Kalasha girls celebrate during a festival. Credit: Kamal Zain

The Kalasha form the smallest minority community residing in Pakistan. They are a unique tribe with a distinct language, folklore, tribal customs, and a polytheistic religion. [2] The Kalasha believe that they are descendants of Alexander the Great, with some evidence suggesting that they originated in Syria. There are also traces of a possible history with the Indo-Aryans and the equestrian tribesmen, who roamed the Black and Caspian seas and migrated as far as South Asia. [1]

The way of life for the last of the Kalasha

Kalasha family in Rumbur Valley. Credit: Sanam Saeed

Many historians have expressed their concern over the declining Kalasha culture. Once large in number, the Kalasha population has dwindled down to nearly 5,000 inhabitants. [2] Preservation of local traditions and rituals has diminished, partly owing to locals exhibiting astounding interfaith harmony with surrounding regions. [1] Both forced and voluntary conversions to Islam, coupled with youth migrating to cities in search of better opportunities, has further exacerbated the issue. The majority still rely on traditional sources of livelihood including livestock, small-scale cultivation, and wage labour. [3] However, owing to growing tourism, the Kalasha have transitioned toward a cash-based economy and established local shops, restaurants and hotels. [2]

A local store in Bumburet Valley. Credit: Waleed Ahmad

Most infrastructure is still basic. Lack of energy access has promoted traditional wood burning, kerosene oil, lanterns, and candles across the Kalasha Valleys. [2] For decades, the locals have used firewood and kerosene stoves to cook food, leading to respiratory diseases such as chronic bronchitis and pneumonia. [4]

A Kalasha home in Bumburet Valley. Credit: Waleed Ahmad

Environmental degradation and glacial flooding

Forest products provide a major source of income for inhabitants of the valley. Wood, pine nuts, chilgoza, fruits, and medicinal plants are traded for much-needed income. [3] Moreover, the Kalasha see the forest as vital to their cultural survival and have fought to protect their rights to the land. For instance, from the 1980’s into the early 1990’s the Kalasha of the Rumbur Valley were involved in a 10-year court case to protect the forest for future generations. [5] A local who spearheaded the case stated that, “if we can turn the valleys into a reserve for future people, then the Kalash will survive for another 1,000 years”. [6]

Nature continues to be central to the Kalasha’s spiritual beliefs and plays an important role in their daily lives. [6] Deforestation for timber and fuelwood not only disrupts the health of the watershed but triggers climate induced disasters such as glacial lake outburst floods (GLOF). Floods and erratic monsoon patterns lead to major destruction of crops and infrastructure, disruption in energy supply and loss of livelihoods. [7]

Kalasha harvest festival hats. Credit: Martin Jung

Bumburet River and autumn colors shine across the valley. Credit: Hassan Ali

Of the 3,044 glacial lakes in northern Pakistan, 33 are considered to be at high risk of bursting. [8] There have been GLOF events happening every year now, but the havoc wreaked by the floods of 2011 and 2015 remains unparalleled. Houses, bridges, orchards, hotels, water channels, shops, farms and roads were either completely or partially destroyed. [7] Recalling the loss and damage borne by the community, Shaheen Gul, a young Kalasha woman states “Our fields with corn and beans that were ready for harvest and fruit trees like walnuts and apricots are gone as they were near the nullah[stream]”. [7] A local farmer, Hussain claims, “Our culture was already under threat, and now these floods have destroyed our crops and orchards. We will have to buy food from the bazaar and store it if we are to survive this winter”. [7]

A broken bridge destroyed in glacial floodwater. Credit: Rina Saeed Khan

The civil works of the micro hydro system, water pipelines and the various irrigation channels of Rumbur, Gambak, and Brone villages were partially destroyed. [7] Moreover, the floods also destroyed the only primary school in the valley and the children were forced to study under an ad-hoc open roof environment for a long time. [7] The Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC) motel was in ruins too, as the gushing streams turned into a surging river, destroying the wooden chalets and the garden of the motel. [7]

Glacial floods have changed entire landscapes, posing serious risks around soil erosion, species migration and food insecurity. A local resident attributes the origin of these floods to melting glaciers in the region, explaining, “There are around four glaciers high up above in these mountains overlooking the valley. Glacial floods came down along with rainwater, carrying large boulders and we even saw large chunks of black ice”. [7] However, a disaster risk reduction expert from Chitral felt that torrential rainfall was the main cause of the flooding. [7] Similarly, a climate change expert attributed the cause of floods to El Nino (periodic warming of the ocean), which leads to erratic monsoon rainfalls, accelerates snow melt and subsequently triggers glacial lakes. [7] A local blamed deforestation and attributed the intensity of these floods to climate change. He explained, “It was still warm by the end of September this year, while the summers would usually end in August.” [7]

Hydro mini-grids: A solution for climate resilience and energy access

Building climate resilience and ensuring sustainable development requires retaining biodiversity and investment in nature-based solutions. Hydro mini-grids are a nature-based solution because their functionality depends on healthy forests. Thriving forests result in resilient catchment areas that provide maximum flow and erosion protection to the hydro mini-grid.

An aerial shot of Rumbur Valley. Credit: M. Ansari

Sarujalik, a village amidst the Bumburet valley in Ayun local council, had always remained deprived of basic facilities. Having no access to main-grid electricity, the communities were using diesel generators, along with a rudimentary MHP which didn't meet the electricity demand. Moreover, being the hub of seasonal festivals, the village faced energy shortages throughout the year. [10]

Local households during a power breakdown. Credit: Shah Tahsin Anwar

The situation led to local communities approaching a reputed NGO called the Sarhad Rural Support Programme (SRSP) for support in developing a community-owned mini-hydro system. In 2011, SRSP designed and constructed a separate 200kW mini hydro system to be operated by the Sarujalik community in partnership with SRSP. With the financial support of EU, the system was later upgraded in 2013-14, with improved and more efficient mechanical equipment, civil works and extension of transmission lines. The system uses two locally manufactured cross flow T-15 turbines and the total system cost was PKR 12.84 million.

Sarujalik Mini Hydro. Credit: SRSP

The 200 kW Sarujalik Mini Hydro system. Credit: SRSP

A healthy and connected community

The Sarujalik mini hydropower system has 592 domestic and 111 commercial connections, providing electricity to almost 6,000 individuals across the valley. [10] Previously, the lack of reliable electricity services deprived the Kalasha of basic facilities, with negative impacts on their health and education. [1] The communities that were earlier using candles are now using telephones, refrigerators, and Internet facilities. [2] The local general stores are stocking their supplies in refrigerators, while uninterrupted electricity supply has enabled local businesses, such as welding and tailoring shops, to operate more optimally. [3]

Kalasha festival dance. Credit: Kamal Zain

Local vendors operate through the evening using MHP electricity. Credit: SRSP

Kalasha women greet each other. Credit: Tahsin Shah

Apart from monetary benefits, Kalasha are now enjoying a relatively healthier life. As some vaccines are temperature-sensitive and require cold storage, refrigerators have made it possible to vaccinate the population, and ensure a healthier and happier community. [1] Communication has also improved, as people are able to charge their phones at home and stay connected with their families, as well as access information and news from across the world.

A Kalasha woman able to communicate via phone thanks to electricity access. Credit: SRSP

Education in a remote valley

In these times of a global pandemic, community-scale hydropower has not only enabled online-distance learning, but has paved the way for a more informed community in one of the most isolated regions on Earth. Previously, teachers had difficulty conducting classes due to insufficient electricity in the school. Now, with improved energy access, there is evidence of more effective knowledge transmission and learning amongst students. [9] According to a schoolteacher, “students access new knowledge on the Internet and not only they become more informed, but they also share that information with us, and we learn from them too”. [9]

Kalasha children. Credit: Tahsin Shah

The community-led hydropower has enabled schools to initiate an online enrollment system, allowing students to register for various national examinations. [9] Students are now able to access international research publications and supplement their existing knowledge with scientific and evidence-based research. [9]

Access to clean energy has also lowered the rate of rural migration to cities. A local woman feels “people used to leave the village as their studies suffered without electricity. When all their needs are met at home, why would they leave?”. [11]

Mini hydropower and Kalasha women

Community-scale hydro has been a blessing for the women across the valley. Traditional wood-burning stoves have been replaced by more efficient electric cookstoves, and other electric appliances have reduced drudgery from laborious housework. [1]

Kalasha women amidst the Hindukush mountains. Credit: Tahsin Shah

MHP-powered washing machine. Credit: SRSP

Earlier, women were mostly occupied with housekeeping, e.g. washing and cooking, but now invest their skills and energy in various productive end uses, such as operating their own shops and designing traditional items for sale to tourists. [1] According to the CEO of SRSP, Mr. Shahzada ul Mulk, “When we brought light to one village, one old lady said to me, ‘Son, you have just added 15 years to my life’”. [11]

Community-driven sustainability

SRSP’s bottom-up and community-driven rural development approach has helped the community build community-owned social enterprises, resulting in reliable income generation for the Kalasha. SRSP has ensured active community decision-making at all stages of MHP projects, from identifying potential sites and developing community structures, to keeping the system operational and participating in the cost-benefit sharing of the system. For long-term access to clean and green energy, committees have been set up to evaluate and provide connections to households, collect fees and ensure periodic maintenance of units. [10]

SRSP has implemented 353 community-scale hydropower systems with a total installed capacity of over 29 MW, providing electricity to an estimated 900,000 individuals mostly in off-grid mountainous regions. [10] The founder of SRSP Mr. Masood ul Mulk says, “We do not see ourselves as energy generators but as an organization that gives hope to people who have been devastated by conflict and floods. Electricity is a way to harmonize and bring communities together. Providing light is just the beginning of the process of building up communities.” [11] Learn more about SRSP’s award-winning work in this video.

Ayun MHP construction. Credit: SRSP

As the global pandemic persists and we enter the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, climate-resilient and nature-based solutions become imperative. The role of community-scale hydropower in enabling clean energy access, uplifting livelihoods, and ultimately building resilience is vital in the context of the global climate crisis. We can learn from and be inspired by the resilience of indigenous local communities such as the Kalasha, and strive towards a more equitable and a sustainable future.

Kalasha girls looking out of their traditional home. Credit: Tahsin Shah

References:
[1] http://documents1.worldbank.org/curated/zh/960841551256802132/pdf/Indigenous-Peoples-Planning-Framework.pdf
[2] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4570283/pdf/main.pdf
[3] http://kp.gov.pk/uploads/2019/04/IPPF_Pub_Disclosure3.pdf
[4] h ttps://cmjournal.biomedcentral.com/track/pdf/10.1186/s13020-018-0204-y.pdf
[5] http://www.icwa.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/CVR-27.pdf
[6] http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/spl/hi/picture_gallery/05/south_asia_kalash_spring_festival/html/3.stm
[7] https://climate.earthjournalism.net/2015/12/03/kalash-valleys-struggle-to-survive-post-floods.html
[8] https://www.pk.undp.org/content/pakistan/en/home/projects/Glof-II.html
[9] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wDFCdius3KQ&feature=emb_logo
[10] http://www1.srsp.org.pk/site/alternate-energy-new/
[11] https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2015/jun/12/pakistan-electricity-village-micro-hydro-ashden-award

Developed by Hashim Zaman, Environmental Economist
Content support from Atif Zeeshan Rauf, Sarad Rural Support Programme
Editing support from the HPNET Secretariat

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MADAGASCAR: MICRO AND MINI HYDRO INITIATIVES OF THE ASSOCIATION DES INGÉNIEURS POUR LE DÉVELOPPEMENT DES ENERGIES RENOUVELABLES (AIDER)

12/21/2020

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The electrification rate in Madagascar remains very low, averaging 15 percent nationally, 8.1 percent in rural areas and 60.7 percent in urban areas. While biomass, diesel, and fossil fuels dominate the energy mix across the country, there exists a great potential for small-scale hydro systems. Only 1.9 percent of Madagascar’s hydropower potential has been utilized, and yet hydropower generates approximately 68 percent of the electricity in the country. Its economy depends on tourism and the cultivation of paddy, coffee, vanilla, and cloves, which could be further enhanced through increased energy access.

Small-scale hydropower also presents great potential for ecosystem restoration in Madagascar. Healthy watersheds are critical to sustainable community-based hydropower, as mature forest cover ensures consistent stream-flow, mitigates erosion, and builds resilience against the impacts of climate change. As such, hydro mini-grids are a nature-based solution that promotes watershed strengthening. Investment in nature-based solutions like small-scale hydro can play a critical role in building climate resilience and safeguarding biodiversity in Madagascar, where more than 90% of original forests have been lost.

One of the leading small-scale hydro implementation organizations in Madagascar is the Association des Ingénieurs pour le Développement des Energies Renouvelables (AIDER). Read on to learn about AIDER’s efforts to advance small-scale hydro in Madagascar.

Established in 2008, AIDER is an association of about 20 multidisciplinary engineers working in the field of renewable energy in Madagascar. AIDER works on studies, design and implementation of hydroelectric and solar power plants. AIDER works in partnership with the Agency for the Development of Rural Electrification (ADER), Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), the Tany Meva Foundation, the Institute for Energy Management (IME) at the University of Antananarivo, the Higher Institute of Technology of Antananarivo (IST), the Group for Research and Technological Exchange (GRET) and the Albert Schweitzer Ecological Centre (CEAS).

Two 7.5 kW micro hydro systems in Andriantsemboka. Credit: AIDER

Switchboard for one of two 50 kW MHPs in Sarobaratra. Credit: AIDER

Mini hydro in Amboasary – Anjozorobe. Credit: AIDER

Locally-developed micro hydropower

AIDER has built eight MHPs, ranging from 7.5 kW to 100 kW, electrifying a total of about 450 households in rural municipalities of the Analamanga and Atsimo Andrefana regions. Five of the projects are owned and operated by AIDER. All of the systems use turbines that have been locally manufactured by AIDER, thereby having generated local employment. In addition to providing reliable electricity to households, the MHPs power town halls, police stations, clinics, churches, schools, and street lighting.

Partnership for feasibility and design studies

Since 2009 AIDER has carried out approximately 30 studies for micro hydropower projects (MHPs), including hydrological studies. In 2018 AIDER began collaboration with the Swiss Resource Centre and Consultancies for Development (Skat). On behalf of GIZ’s Renewable Energy Electrification Project (PERER) in Madagascar, Skat partnered with AIDER to conduct the following.

Feasibility of study of the Amabatotoa site, where the options of a 100 kW off-grid project, 2.3 MW grid-connected project, and 6 MW grid-connected reservoir project in the Upper Matsiatra Region

Feasibility study of the Ivato off-grid site of 100 kW in the Amoron'i Mania Region

Detailed study of the off-grid Sahandaso Mini Hydro Project of 240 kW in the Atsinanana Region, including developing the MV line plans, single line diagrams, design calculations and cost estimates

AIDER carried out hydrological analyses, topographical surveys, installation and operation of the gauging stations, installation of pressure probes, and recording tables with iridium antenna for auto data transmission. It also conducted flow measurements and analysis using the propeller method, conductivity meters, and an acoustic doppler current profiler (ADCP).

Topographical survey of cross section. Credit: AIDER

Gauging station at Sahandaso with automatic data transmission. Credit: AIDER

Hydrological station at the Ambatotoa site. Credit: AIDER

Hydrological station at the Ivato site. Credit: AIDER

Flow measurement using the propeller method. Credit: AIDER

Flow measurement with conductivity meter at the Sahandaso site. Credit: AIDER

Mini hydropower for local industry and agri processing

AIDER and SKAT are currently collaborating with CEAS and UNDO to develop a detailed design study for the development of the Andriambe mini hydro project, having a potential of 225 kW and located on the Nanangainana River in Mandialaza.

The project aim is to provide clean and affordable electricity to three villages, in terms of household needs, critical social infrastructure, and productive end uses, such as carpentry workshops, feed mills, metal workshops and food processing.

Ginger processing presents a particularly promising opportunity to generate income in the villages. Ginger is currently sold as a raw product to passing traders at a very low price. Affordable electricity will enable the production of a higher-value product.

Harvested ginger sold raw. Credit: AIDER

Carpentry workshop. Credit: AIDER

The site’s catchment area is almost completely located within the Andasibe-Mantadia National Park. Although part of it is partly deforested for agriculture use, forest conservation will lead to a healthy watershed that is vital for the sustainability of the MHP. Further, the project will incorporate corresponding awareness-raising activities on appropriate management methods for local communities residing in the catchment area.

The densely forested catchment area. Credit: AIDER

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"HIDDEN NO MORE": AN INTERVIEW WITH A MINI HYDRO SHAREHOLDER, HASANA FATIMI

12/10/2020

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Our Hidden No More series features women micro hydro practitioners who have transformed gender barriers to generate energy access for marginalized communities. While our past interviews focused on women who facilitated micro hydro as members of the implementing organization, in this edition we have the rare opportunity to feature a woman leader from within the community, Ms. Hasana Fatimi.

Hasana is a local hero amidst the most isolated and remote valley of Chitral, Pakistan. Her journey is embedded in the thriving community-based and women share-holding models that have transformed micro and mini hydropower (MH) development across the most inaccessible, yet the most beautiful valleys across Pakistan. This approach to MH has been developed by the Aga Khan Rural Support Programme (AKRSP) as a part of its community-owned utilities initiative.

Special thanks goes out to our Board member Meherban Khan, AKRSP's Coordinator for Utility Companies, for helping to make this interview possible.

Hasana Fatimi. Credit: H.Fatimi

Can you tell us a bit about yourself?

I am Hasana Fatimi. I belong to a small village of 200 households called Bang, located in Yarkhun Valley, of Upper Chitral District in Pakistan. I am one of the few women in this valley and the only female in my family with a master’s degree.

Currently, I work as a sales officer in the Yadgar Utility Public Limited Company, our community-owned utility that supplies electricity to 1200 households (in 24 villages, including Bang) using electricity generated from a 800kW mini hydro system. I’ve been working here for the last three years.

How did your education, i.e. master’s degree, help you in your professional life?

We belong to a very isolated area in the northern part of ChitraI. I enrolled in Abdul Wali Khan University in Chitral for the master’s program and graduated in 2017. My village and the university were 150 km apart, connected through a broken road, and hence I lived at my relatives place which was close to the university. The knowledge gained during my university life has helped me immensely in my professional career.

Bang village, Chitral. Credit: AKRSP

Bang village, Chitral. Credit: Google Earth

How do you identify yourself -- a women entrepreneur, a community leader, or an energy practitioner?

In this valley, women haven’t had a lot of opportunities to work and contribute to their household. After completing my education, I started my career as a teacher in a private school but that felt insufficient, as I wanted to do something for the women in this area. I then decided to be an entrepreneur, as I always wanted to be an inspiration for the women in my region. I wanted to show them that everything is possible, to dream big and to aspire for more meaningful things in life.

Hasana Fatimi working at the Yadgar Utility Company. Credit: H.Fatimi

How did mini hydropower arrive in Bang village, and how were women involved?

Aga Khan Rural Support Programme (AKRSP) has formed and mobilized village organizations that are led by both men and women. They are combined to form a cluster known as Community Organization (CO) of which all men and women of the village can become a member. The CO put in a request to AKRSP for a 800 kW mini hydro plant. Before that they had a 50 kW and 100 kW plant constructed by AKRSP, which were only used for lightning purposes and didn’t equip us in cooking or business ventures.

Yadgar Utility Company mini hydro powerhouse. Credit: AKRSP

On the basis of this resolution by village men and women, AKRSP started work on the design, site selection, feasibility, fund arrangement etc. The women were present in all meetings, dialogues and identification areas component. Women were involved in the construction phase, and were part of the supervisory and management committee of the cluster board. However, they didn’t take part in the design phase, as it is technical work and women are not educated enough to carry out that task.

How is AKRSP facilitating mini hydro efforts in Yarkhun valley?

AKRSP is a community-based development organization. It is focused on integrated rural development in Gilgit Baltistan and Chitral (GBC) region of Northern Pakistan.The Water and Energy Security (WES), funded by Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and implemented by AKRSP, is the program that supports mini hydro development in this valley.

AKRSP, the implementing partner for our mini hydro project, had prior experience of establishing over 200 micro hydro plants and thousands of water development projects that were operated by local communities. The project was framed to transform the traditional community-based approach to manage small scale micro hydro, into modern utility companies. The project followed an ambitious, market-based financing plan, raising 20% equity, 50% donor funding (i.e. SDC), and 30% bank loan to be offset later from the carbon income [yet to materialize] and tariff collection.

Yadgar Utility Company site. Credit: AKRSP

AKRSP has a major role in the development of this area. It has worked in every important aspect of living and improved the living standard of the people in this valley. Basic needs like providing clean drinking water to electricity, health, education, agriculture development, roads, and every aspect of life have been improved due to the role of AKRSP.

AKRSP supported the construction, operational phase, and funding for our mini hydro project. They invested and made us shareholders for the sustainability of the project. Until the project becomes self-sustainable, AKRSP supports us with the maintenance and running costs of the plant.

Penstock and powerhouse of the Yadgar Utility Company's mini hydro system. Credit: AKRSP

They also provided technical support to our utility company, e.g. train operators and connect households to the company. They continue to assist in locating investors for the sustainable development of other mini hydro in the valley. So basically AKRSP is providing support to communities in terms of skills building and finance for the long-term sustainability of electricity in the valley.

How did the local community become involved in the mini hydro project?

We underwent the usual protocol of AKRSP, which consisted of dialogues, in which the communities established the need for electricity and the willingness to engage in a micro hydro project. The communities contributed in the construction, and eventually they became shareholders and now they are the owners in this venture. The project started around 2012, but due to financial constraints, it was delayed till 2015. It was a hybrid model of financing. Initially, it entailed a grant, followed by obtaining a loan, and ultimately it was sustained by investment from the community, who eventually became the shareholders in the project.

The money that is usually collected through community mobilization for the formation of a maintenance fund, was later on transformed into equity. The initial minimum contribution per household was fixed around PKR 6000 to contribute to maintenance funds. The minimum contributions were set by AKRSP at PKR 10 Million for the community as a maintenance fund or community contribution for the project, which is an equivalent of approximately 5% of the project cost. With the transformation of the unit into public limited companies, the initial investments/contribution of the community members were converted into shares and transferred to individual persons as share capital. The value of 1 share was set at PKR 100. Furthermore, the minimum investments were reduced to PKR 1500 for women, so that the women members of the community could also participate as shareholders/members of the company.

How many women are involved in this project and what is their background?

More than 400 women are shareholders in this mini hydro project. A small portion of the women are educated and most of them are housewives, but many of them have started their own businesses at household level. In this mini hydro project, we have obtained a loan and our sales are not high enough to meet the loan repayment, given the high operational and maintenance costs. But we are moving in the right direction and by 2023, we will hopefully repay the entire loan and then the company will receive profits, and we will receive shareholder dividends.

What was it like for the women in the area before the mini hydro project?

We had everything in terms of natural resources, but we didn't have electricity to ensure basic facilities and sustainable development in the valley. There were no diesel generators and everyone used kerosene lamps.

Women cooking using kerosene lamps. Credit: AKRSP

There was a rare case of a kerosene stove for cooking, but it was destroying the food quality due to the smell. Most of the locals in the valley were using firewood and cutting down the precious forests of the valley.
We would spend most of our time gathering fodder for the livestock, fetching fuelwood for heating purposes, and using indigenous techniques for threshing grains, which was very tough and time-consuming.

According to you, what has been the overall impact of the mini hydro project in Bang village?

Bang village consists of 200 households and the mini hydro plant is 7 km away from the households. Community-based hydro has been operational here since 1995 when AKRSP first constructed the 50 kW micro hydro system, but it only fulfilled the basic needs of lighting for the households across the valley. So there were various restrictions in place for using electric appliances such as rods, heaters, rice cookers, and ovens, which didn’t fulfill our basic needs.

After the completion of the 800 kW mini hydro project, the majority of households started using electric appliances for cooking meals, chapati, tea making and heating purposes. This has not only resulted in increased output and productivity, but has also helped us to focus on our children because it saves us time and energy.

Woman cooking using electric stove. Credit: AKRSP

Before the mini hydro, women in the area spent a major chunk of their day washing clothes and making butter manually, as households have a good number of livestock in the valley. Now use of the washing machine and butter churner will save us a lot of time, which are used for productive purposes. In addition, use of electricity for cooking will also save time, as cooking meals with fuel wood not only required more time but the smoke was hazardous for health too.

Woman working at a utility store in Bang village. Credit: AKRSP

New businesses are also propping up as a result of the additional electricity, which have improved the living standards in the valley. In fact, it has been amazing to see that women who didn’t have formal education, have also started opening up their own businesses, due to the availability of electricity in the area.

Moreover, people have started educating themselves at night, due to the availability of internet facilities. This wasn’t possible before, as there wasn’t enough electricity, but this is a huge change now, which will have a positive impact on the literacy rates and livelihoods of the valley.

A mother and a son studying at night using electricity from the mini hydro system. Credit: AKRSP

Before this mini hydro project, there were no hospitals or lab facilities in the valley. Thanks to the electricity now, we have hospitals that not only have maternity services available, but also have birthing centres to ensure safe and healthy child births in the valley. Moreover, we can see that the health of the locals, especially the women, has improved due to the hospital and the easy access to it now. The general diseases in the area have also reduced, and the eye problems in particular have reduced considerably.

The scope of this mini hydro project is very diverse and it has been a blessing for the people of this area. All in all, the scope and impacts of mini hydro are very positive and diverse, and it has had a life changing role for our society.

Tell us about your first encounter with the mini hydro project, and what are your daily responsibilities?

I participated in an interview for the position of a sales officer in the Yadgar Utility Company and was selected. When I started my job, I got the opportunity to interact with people in the mini hydro sector, and also with the community directly on a daily basis.
My daily routine involves selling prepaid electricity units and collecting cash in return. I look after the Vending Point System, where consumers come and top up their prepaid cards in return for electricity. Everyday I meet 7-8 women, who visit the Vending Point System and I guide them in starting their own micro-business.

Hasana Fatimi at the Vending Point System selling pre-paid electricity. Credit: H.Fatimi

I also link the customers to the training section of the utility company, which provides training in business management, bookkeeping, business planning etc. Moreover, I connect the locals who are seeking loans to set up their own businesses, with the most suitable institutions.

How does the Vending Point System work and how accessible are they?

The Bang village spans across an area of 16 kilometers and it is divided into four areas. Every person has to travel 1km to reach the Vending Point System.

A transaction at the Vending Point System. Credit: AKRSP

We have four Vending Points Systems, in which 5-6 villages are connected to each other. There are only two Vending Point System managers in the entire valley of 1200 households. Out of these four Vending Point Systems, two are managed by women, and two are closed. This is very inspirational for women in the valley, as it indicates that women are not only able to operate this technology, but are entrusted with this very crucial component of the mini hydro system. The Vending Point System means that there is a prepaid system in place, where each person has a card. The locals come to the Vending Point System and tops up their cards with kW units, by paying cash and loading the kW into their respective electricity meters.

What kind of impact do you see from your role of advising the enterprise for women?

Earning money and contributing to the household makes the women independent. My guidance and support to the women in my valley has helped them start their own household businesses and they are now able to contribute to their household finances. They now have a chance to highlight their local products in the national and international markets too. This includes learning skills, such as the sewing machine and embroidery, that results in beautiful clothes for the women.

A woman ironing clothes using electricity from the community mini hydro system, while her child looks outside. Credit: AKRSP

Women are also now more aware and preserve their excess food, such as milk and chicken, in the refrigerators due to the availability of electricity. This includes apricot, pear, cherry, peach, apple and other fruits. The fruits are then further made into various jams using the electricity, mainly in the months of september and october, when the fresh fruits are available. The jams are used in the household, and also sold in the nearby households across the valley. In order for these jams to be sold in the market, we need machinery and a sustainable business model, with proper training in packaging and marketing. That would lead to an increased income generation and improved livelihoods across our valley.

Was there difficulty at the start to convince the women to do business?

Initially, it was a challenge to mobilize them. They were afraid to start their own businesses, as they were afraid of failing and losing their hard earned money. This idea was and is still being complemented by the men, who blame them for failing and hence, they’re a little hesitant now.

AKRSP is providing these women with soft loans now, and this is a great incentive for women to take risks now. This has led to women giving back to their household and has earned them great respect in the community now.

Hasana, did you yourself face any challenges because you're a woman, at any time during university, or education, or during your project?

Being a woman, I had to face the patriarchal attitudes of the people in the valley. I also need to account for the societal pressures and geographical limitations that are imposed on women. Moreover, it was a great challenge to fund my university education and then finding a job after graduating, was another uphill battle that I fought. I now have to keep a fine balance between my job and the household chores.

Furthermore, it was not easy to equip the local community. I mobilized the women and explained to them the dynamics of the area. During my professional life, people would sometimes come in the evening and ask to charge their card, and this is not easy for women to manage. Men would come to the Vending Point Systems after 6 o'clock to top up their cards, and in some instances, I’ve had to go to the point after office hours, and top up their cards.

Do you see both young and old women interested to start their own businesses?

Educated women are more focused on their education, and are trying to get out of the valley in search of better opportunities. Other women who are enrolled in post-graduate degrees, are starting their own businesses too. However, unmarried women are preferring jobs as they have to shift to other areas after getting married, and hence might not be able to work then. This is because they know that after getting married, they might have to relocate to possibly even more remote areas or go into more conservative families - where they might not find a job or be able to work respectively. In this area, we have 10-15 businesses that have been started by women, out of which, 10 have been started by older women.

If the women weren’t involved in this mini hydro project, what do you think would have been the outcome?

Without the women, the result will only be 30% of what we have now. The demand for electricity by women is very high, as they’re using electrical appliances at home. Most importantly, we’re now shareholders in the project, and are a major part of the decision making process. They're part of the discourse now, are negotiating their demands and are discussing important issues such as prices and tariff-designs. They're debating on the frontline now, and this is very encouraging for the women community across our valley.

What impact has the mini hydro project have on you/how has your knowledge and experience developed?

Dealing with a diverse group of people has definitely broadened my view of the world. Moreover, supporting conflict resolution in the community has enhanced my skills greatly. In the beginning, I was a little hesitant to engage with the community, but I adjusted eventually. Now I’m extremely motivated to spread awareness and solve the issues of the community.

What other programs can support women? What kind of solution do you think can help?

Equitable business opportunities, vocational training, and household level decision making are extremely vital in the upliftment of the women in our society. If the women in my valley become more financially independent, then they’ll be able to exercise greater power in the household decision making.

Vending Point System operator. Credit: AKRSP

What is your hope to improve women's lives in your community?

Financial support by the NGOs and the government, women empowerment, vocational training and motivating women to start their own businesses will be extremely essential to uplift the women in our valley. We need to attract them to entrepreneurship, and help them learn the necessary skills to promote their local products and culture to the world.

Yarkhun Valley in Chitral, Pakistan. Credit: Google Earth

For more insights on AKRSP's work, be sure to check out our program case study Evolution to Inclusive Social Enterprise.

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WHY HYDRO MINI-GRIDS: TECHNOLOGY DIFFERENTIATION EXPLAINED

12/9/2020

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Mini-grids are an important component in the renewable energy mix. They have been considered to be a sustainable and cost-effective solution for providing reliable energy access to various communities across the planet. Mini-grids have become increasingly popular in the recent years due to:

the enormous cost of grid extension in rural areas
the limitations of household systems (e.g. solar home systems).

Within the mini-grid spectrum, it is pertinent to note that there exist various mini-grid technologies, i.e. solar, wind, biogas, diesel and hydro mini-grids, being implemented for energy access. In fact the nature of mini-grid development is such that systems must be customized to meet each community’s energy demand, resource availability, and governance structures. So while mini-grid development partners tend to be technology agnostic, it is also extremely crucial to differentiate between technologies, as each has its own strengths, challenges, investment costs, price of energy, and operational management models.

To assist in technology differentiation, the Hydro Empowerment Network (HPNET) in partnership with Swiss Resource Centre and Consultancies for Development (SKAT) have developed the Mini-Grid Technology Differentiation Table. The tool was originally released in HPNET’s 2017 Mini-Grid Webinar Series and recently updated to ensure a detailed overview of the various mini-grid technologies.

Technology Differentiation Table developed by SKAT and HPNET. (Click on image to access full table).

Mini-Grid Technology Differentiation

The table differentiates mini-grid technologies based on system design, advantages, limitations, productive end use, resource assessment, spare part availability and investment costs of all the mini-grid technologies. Key insights include:

Range of investment, which refers to the monetary investment required for generation and distribution, is the lowest for diesel and hydro mini-grids, while solar-battery, biomass gasifier and wind battery-based systems can go up to even USD 13,000/kW, compared to as low as USD 300/kW and USD 500/kW for diesel and hydro mini-grids respectively. However, despite the low investment costs, diesel has high operational and environmental costs in the long run.

The operations and maintenance (O&M) costs (with assumptions) is on average 10% roughly for all technologies, except hydro mini-grids which incur only 2-5% of investment.

The percentage of local contribution is only 5% in solar-battery and diesel mini-grids, while it is around 60%, 70% and 95% for wind, hydro, and biomass mini-grids, respectively. Higher local contribution means increased local job creation.

Each technology has its own advantages. For instance, hydro mini-grids have low cost per kW; abundant sun in most places means solar is versatile; easy storage biomass resource allows optimum efficiency for gasifiers; and local manufacturing leading to lower O&M costs for wind and hydro can be beneficial.

There are certain limitations associated with each technology. Accessing funds for high initial investment is an issue for both hydro and solar mini-grids, while pre-mature technology is a hindrance facing the biomass gasifier. Batteries in wind systems face high temporal variability and high maintenance costs, while diesel has negative environmental impacts due to carbon emissions.

Providing electricity for productive end use, such as agri-processing, irrigation purposes, and various mills/local industry, generates optimal impact and sustainability of mini-grids. Mini-grids that are not dependent on batteries -- such as hydro and biomass mini-grids -- are ideal for powering motorized loads.

Advantages of Hydro Mini-Grids

Micro hydro images from HPNET members.

Although there are certain challenges associated with hydro mini systems, including relatively longer resource assessment and installation periods, hydro mini-grids have the following advantages:

Hydro mini-grids typically produce 3-4 times as much kWh per kW installed. Moreover, hydro mini-grids generate electricity 24 hours, compared to solar and wind that are limited to 6-12 hours on average, depending on the availability and fluctuation of wind (average of 8 hours/day).

Local manufacturing brings down the cost of hydro mini-grids and increases employment. Hydro mini-grids are especially apt for local manufacturing, since most components can be developed in a local metalworks fabrication facility.

Although hydro mini-grids have a large range of investment costs (USD 500 - USD 10,000/kW) based on accessibility and the local terrain, most easy-to-access systems have low investment and generation costs.

Low cost of energy enables greater productive end uses, and higher revenue from productive loads means lower cost energy for everyone.

A micro hydro plant in Nepal. Credit: Sunir Pandey

Hydro mini-grids create opportunities for dynamic tariff structures to increase sale of electricity during off-peak hours. For example, a bakery or induction casting facility can be motivated to utilize electricity during off peak hours with reduced tariff.

Community micro hydro builds up of local social capital. Hydro mini-grids transform the traditional models of energy of social assets into social enterprise. This means that they improve the social and environmental well-being of the communities, maximize social impact, and generate profits for co-owners.

Hydro mini-grids are especially conducive for grid interconnection, reducing voltage drops in the main grid and generating income for the MHP community. Moreover, the revenue from the project can multiply in the case of later grid interconnection.

A micro hydro village in Northern Pakistan. Credit: Sarhad Rural Support Programme (SRSP)

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PROJECT UPDATE: UPSCALING LOCALLY MANUFACTURED TURGO TURBINE

12/3/2020

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Last quarter HPNET board member Biraj Gautam described our project, focused on the development of a Turgo turbine design, appropriate for local manufacture in Nepal. Whilst common in larger scale hydropower and with some off-the-shelf products available, the Turgo turbine is not currently manufactured by micro-hydropower companies in Nepal. As a medium head turbine, the Turgo offers a viable option for sites where the characteristics make the choice between Pelton and Cross-flow turbines difficult. This article provides an update on our progress in the project so far.

Fakfok MHP in Ilam, Nepal. An example of a medium head MHP, which could be appropriate for the Turgo turbine. Credit: Sam Williamson

Project Objectives

An objective of the project was to install a micro-hydropower Turgo turbine at a pilot site. Currently, we have manufactured a 1.5kW Turgo turbine but it is important to check the performance of the turbine for higher rated powers. The experimental results from the 1.5kW turbine have allowed us to develop a hydrodynamic scaling model. This numerical model can be used to check whether a site has appropriate head and flow rate, and then determine the best pitch circle diameter and rotational speed for the turbine.

After identifying a number of viable sites, we selected a site in Taplejung district where the existing turbine requires replacement after many years in service. For this site, our scaling model was used to show that the Turgo turbine is appropriate and can be used to directly drive a generator. Whilst similar to Pelton turbines, the higher specific speed of the Turgo means that direct drive transmission is feasible at much lower heads.

The different flow passages for the Pelton and Turgo turbines. Reference: P.N. Wilson, A high-speed impulse turbine, Water Power (1967)

Site Visit

Unfortunately, the ongoing coronavirus pandemic has prevented PEEDA staff from visiting the field site. A feasibility study is required to find out the technical and socio-economic features of the site and the community. Technically, we need to evaluate the current status of the civil structures and installed equipment. In addition, we require measurements of the powerhouse layout so that the new turbine can interface with existing components. From a socio-economic perspective, we want to understand how the plant is managed, whether the plant generates sufficient income, and assess the opportunity to maximise the plant’s capacity factor. It is important that we ensure that the plant is sustainable in delivering electricity to the community. We continue to monitor the coronavirus situation and hope to be able to visit the site when it is safe to do so.

3D CAD Design

Using the head and flow rate from the site and our scaling model, it has been possible to begin the detailed design of the Turgo turbine. The long-term intention is to develop a range of Turgo turbine designs appropriate for sites across the micro-hydropower range. We have been developing calculation sheets for all of the key components which allow dimensions to be determined. We have developed a parametric 3D CAD model that is linked to the calculation sheets. This allows us to quickly adapt the design depending on inputs into the calculation sheet. The 3D design is taking place collaboratively between the Electrical Energy Management Group at the University of Bristol and Nepal Yantra Shala Energy. The design objective is to produce a design that can be readily manufactured in Nepal with existing machinery and readily available materials. It is expected that detailed design will be completed soon allowing the production of engineering drawings to begin. Initially, the focus is on developing a complete design package for the site in Taplejung. This will include 2D engineering drawings, bill of materials, and supporting 3D CAD files allowing the design to be manufactured in Nepal. Subsequently, we will use the parametric 3D model to generate multiple design packages for the complete operational range.

Design of the Turgo runner in CAD software. Credit: Joe Butchers

March 2021 Workshop

Depending on coronavirus, we plan to hold a workshop in Nepal in late March 2021. The workshop will teach participants about the design packages, key stages in the manufacturing process, how to assemble and install the turbine, and about the operation and maintenance procedures. The workshop is intended for representatives of Nepali manufacturing companies but there may be several places available for international participants. In the longer term, we plan to make the completed design packages and the supporting materials available open-source online. We are hopeful that for local manufacturers across the Hydro Empowerment Network, we will be able to provide a design that increases their range of available turbine designs.

This article was written by Joe Butchers, PhD candidate at the University of Bristol. The project is titled Upscaling locally manufactured Turgo Turbine: Dissemination and Demonstration includes the Electrical Energy Management Group at the University of Bristol, PEEDA, Nepal Yantra Shala Energy, Turbine Testing Laboratory at Kathmandu University and HPNET as project partners, and is funded by Energize Nepal. The work undertaken by the University of Bristol is also funded through an EPSRC Impact Acceleration Account titled Development of an open-source Turgo turbine design tool.

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INDIA: GRAM VIKAS' INITIATIVE TO STRENGTHEN SPRINGS

10/7/2020

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Watershed being rehabilitated in Odisha, India. Credit: Gram Vikas.

The power output of micro hydro projects depends on the water flow and the head. The source of the flow is often a spring or a tributary of a river. Both types of sources depend on the watershed, which forms a catchment area for the micro hydro system. The terrain and forests of the watershed form the catchment area of the micro hydro system.

In this regard, micro hydro is truly a nature-based solution. Healthy forested watersheds result in sustainable micro hydro systems, where the flow is consistent throughout the year and also resilient to climate change. In addition, healthy forests also help to control erosion during monsoon seasons, which can negatively impact both the micro hydro system and the community. Further, vibrant forests lend themselves to enhanced rural livelihoods, which in turn can benefit from access to electricity, e.g. local processing of agri-forest products.

Because of these linkages, we are connecting micro hydro practitioners to watershed experts. Our network is fortunate to have a few members that focus on both. Gram Vikas, based in Odisha, India, is one such organization.

In fact, the focus on watershed restoration goes beyond micro hydropower for Gram Vikas. Its flagship and award-winning water and sanitation program for rural and marginalized communities strongly highlights practices for watershed (ridge to valley) and springshed (valley to valley) strengthening.

One of the several solutions in this area that Gram Vikas is pioneering is recharging springs. Read on to learn more! For additional articles on watersheds and micro hydro, please see here.

SPRINGS: NATURE'S BOUNTY FOR WATER SECURITY

Sustainability of Springshed-based Water Sources

Mountain Springs are the main water source for most of the tribal population living in the Eastern Ghats range of Odisha. Many of the villages, in the region, are over the hilltops, in the form of scattered hamlets. They get little or no access to streams flowing down to the valleys. About 60% of the population in these hamlets depend upon spring water for basic needs like drinking, domestic use, and for agriculture and livestock. Despite their significance, springs are drying up due to variations in rainfall patterns, changes in land use and reduction in forest cover. Many have become seasonal with low discharge. There are also apparent changes in the quality of water available. Only about 30% of the water sources are estimated to be functioning without any apparent decrease in water availability.

Barren hills due to felling of trees and slash and burn cultivation. Credit: Gram Vikas

Gram Vikas team assessing health of springs in Odisha, India. Credit: Gram Vikas

The Springs Initiative

The Springs Initiative aims to develop community-led efforts for springshed management, spring rejuvenation and establishment of water systems by harnessing the potential of perennial springs sustainably. The Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Government of India and UNDP India support the initiative. Gram Vikas took up the initiative, in partnership with village communities and with technical support from ACWADAM, in selected blocks of Gajapati, Kandhamal and Kalahandi districts of Odisha.

Land treatment facilitated by Gram Vikas to increase springshed re-charge. Credit: Gram Vikas

Spring Water Atlas

The Spring Water Atlas is an online repository of information on springs, spring-sheds and spring-scapes to strengthen springs management for addressing water scarcity issues for tribal communities in India. The tool is GIS-based, providing maps, spring health, water quality, and discharge, among other properties. The knowledge tool is hosted by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs and UNDP India. It can be access by the public here: thespringsportal.org.

GIS-based data available on the Spring Water Atlas: https://thespringsportal.org/

Community Cadre

A community cadre of para-hydrologists, a mobile application and GIS technology converge to make the portal a rich storehouse of information on springs in India. Users can find information on the number of springs mapped and their health including water quality, discharge capacity and other physical, chemical and biological properties. 75 young men and women from 42 villages in 10 gram panchayats, have been trained and deployed as barefoot para-hydrologists, identify and map springs, and undertake measures for their rejuvenation and protection. Using the mWater application in their smartphones, these para-hydrologists collect data on the local hydrogeology and chemical properties of the spring source. This is then fed into the portal, Spring Water Atlas. The para-hydrologists were trained from November 2019 to February 2020.

The Springs Initiative works towards ensuring water security for remote tribal communities by changing the perception of springs from a ‘source’ to a ‘resource’. An integrated solution, the initiative will address the water needs of these communities for drinking, domestic and agriculture purposes. The harnessing of springs as sources of safe and adequate water, the initiative has the potential to improve the health, nutrition and livelihoods of these communities.

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EARTH VOICES: FROM LUKU WINGIR, INDONESIA

10/6/2020

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Our blog series Earth Voices presents the linkages between community-scale hydropower, indigenous-led conservation and sustainable development. The series presents case studies of how community-scale hydropower reinforces environmental traditions by incentivizing watershed strengthening, which in turn enable reliable and clean electricity.

In this edition of Earth Voices, we feature the micro hydro village of Luku Wingir, located on the island of Sumba, in East Nusa Tenggara province. Luku Wingir was selected as a pilot village for the Village Model Initiative for Gender Integration in Renewable Energy Sector program, which accelerates gender mainstreaming in the renewable energy sector in Sumba. Initiated by Hivos and the Ministry of Women Empowerment and Child Protection, the multi-stakeholder program allows inter-sectoral collaboration, including government agencies (from village to national level), local communities, local NGO, and academics.

We sat with Mrs. Rita Kefi from Hivos Southeast Asia, and local civil society representatives, namely Mrs. Trouce Landukara and Mr. Aryanto Umbu Kudu to learn more about the life of the Luku Wingir community and the socio-economic impact of its community-based micro hydro project.

The Indonesian translation of the article can be found here.

'Rumah Panggung' traditional home in Luku Wingir village. Credit: Hivos Southeast Asia

Energy access in Indonesia

Indonesia is the largest archipelago country in Southeast Asia with a population of 250 million. Indonesia has high energy needs with challenging natural conditions. Even though the Indonesian government notes that the electrification ratio in Indonesia has reached 99%, in fact several regions in Indonesia still have difficulty in accessing energy. One of the contributing factors is the imbalance between urban and rural infrastructure development. There are still around 433 villages in Indonesia that have not yet been electrified (President Joko Widodo's speech 3 April 2020), including 325 Papuan villages, 102 West Papua villages, 5 villages in East Nusa Tenggara, and 1 village in Maluku. However, the definition of a village being ‘electrified’ varies.

Luku Wingir village landscape. Credit: Rita Kefi

Getting to know the Luku Wingir community

Luku Wingir village, an area of 51.8 square km, has a hilly natural landscape with considerably dry land. To get to Luku Wingir it takes about 1.5 hours from Waingapu, the capital of East Sumba district. Although since 2018 road conditions have improved for car and motorbike accessibility, the route is not traversed by public transportation and therefore access is still limited.

There are about 400 people living in Luku Wingir village, with almost the same ratio of men and women. Most households cultivate corn, cassava, vanilla and cashew nuts for selling to Waingapu. Apart from farming, some people raise pigs, cows, buffaloes, horses and goats. The agricultural and livestock systems there still use traditional methods, so the quantity and quality of farming and raising products are not optimal. Modern agricultural equipment has not yet entered the village, it is only limited to chemical fertilizers. “As for livestock, the villagers are not familiar with the livestock fattening method. If only they are trained and equipped with the knowledge about this, it will help to increase the meat production and increase their income” said Mr. Aryanto who has closely worked with the farmers in the village.

Most households rely on traditional biomass stoves for cooking, while a few have been provided biogas stoves by the government. For lighting, several houses are equipped with solar panels, some of which have been funded by the village government.

Before Christianity arrived in Sumba, the Anawaru tribe in Luku Wingir followed the local religion, namely Marapu. Marapu adherents worship the spirits of their ancestors, and they practiced religious rituals that are closely related to nature. For example, there are prayer ceremonies in the forest, near the springs and near old trees to respect their ancestors and nature. Even though this ritual has now disappeared, people still have a close spiritual relationship with nature, and embrace values that are in harmony with nature.

Micro hydro and economic opportunities

Due to inadequate infrastructure problems, Luku Wingir is one of the villages of Sumba that has difficulty accessing energy. The community had been relying on kerosene/ oil lamps until 2015.

Life in Luku Wingir has changed when it started receiving electricity from a 26 kW micro hydro system installed in the neighboring village of Waimbidi village. The project was funded by the regional government budget. In the construction and development process, both Waimbidi and Luku Wingir communities were directly involved. They were both also provided with training for maintenance. Thus, there is a sense of shared responsibility among the two villages to maintain the micro hydro. For instance, during a flood the two communities worked together to rehabilitate the micro hydro plant.

Women were not involved in the construction phase nor the regular maintenance of the micro hydro. Women are more actively involved in the utilization and operation of micro hydro. For example, in Luku Wingir’s village-owned enterprise (BUMDes), there is a women-led business unit called the energy and natural resources unit which is responsible for collecting electricity fees and directing the funds to the village cooperative. This fund will be used to cover the operational costs for technicians and micro hydro’s maintenance.

In the last four years, electricity access has been relatively stable for 24 hours. In the village itself, there are 25 households that are not yet connected to the micro hydro due to their location being far from the center of the village. Even though not all households can enjoy access to electricity evenly, the micro hydro has benefited the village economy. Households can carry out productive activities at night. In addition, the quality of education has also improved because children's learning time outside of school hours has also increased.

The impacts of climate change and how society adapts

Climate change has had a real impact on the lives of the Luku Wingir community. Corn planting that normally could be done in December, now has shifted to February or March. Moreover, because the supply of native Sumba seedlings has decreased, the farmers were forced to use seeds from outside Sumba (e.g. hybrid plants) that are not adaptive to the Sumba’s natural environment. This affects the quality of crop production, and consequently impacts farmers' income.

Climate change, however, has encouraged the community to adapt. Due to the threat of unstable food supply, households use their backyards to grow food crops for their own consumption and for sale within and outside the village. Being self-sufficient in food supplies also helps the community to thrive during the COVID-19 pandemic. Given its location, the Luku Wingir communities have limited contact with big cities and tourists. So far it is relatively safe and trade activity remains as usual.

In addition, the traditional Sumba weaving group has been reactivated, as a new business to support income generation. Sumba weaving is still handmade in the traditional way. The dyes used are also natural dyes from leaves, roots, and fruits.

Collective community contribution. Credit: Rita Kefi

Recommendation to address challenges to the economic development

Luku Wingir is a fairly developed village compared to five other villages in the surrounding area. There are several factors driving this development. Luku Wingir benefits from its location in a sub-district village. Moreover, since it was selected as a gender-energy model village, it received attention from the government. Furthermore, it also benefits from the formation of OPD (Regional Apparatus Organization) in East Sumba and the supporting program that aims at accelerating the village's economic development.

However, there are still challenges that hamper Luku Wingir’s economic growth. In our conversation, Mrs. Trouce and Mr. Aryanto proposed a couple of recommendations to address these challenges.

Equitable and inclusive energy access
Equitable access to energy for all houses in the village is fundamental for inclusive economic growth. Not only will this ensure all families have access to electricity and clean cooking, but it will also enhance farming, agri processing and market activities.. Providing electricity to the 25 un-electrified households requires extending the distribution line of the existing micro hydro system. This would mean creating a road, which will also enhance transportation and logistics routes, opening additional market access routes.

Skills-building for agri-processing
Developing the villagers’ skills will help to increase the value of their agricultural products Luku Wingir has great economic potential that can be developed, such as processing cashew nuts, bamboo, or creative economy (such as ikat weaving for example). However, the limited skills of the community prevent the village from developing added value to the products it produces.

As a pilot village, Luku Wingir has successfully set an example of how energy access using community-based micro hydro has helped to enhance the local economy, and encouraged two villages communities to work hand-in-hand, while preserving nature and respecting the local values of gotong royong (collective actions).

While every village has its own challenges and requires a tailored solution, the best practices from the case of Luku Wingir may be adopted elsewhere, especially for neighboring villages that can mutually benefit from a micro hydro project.

Content provided by Lina Noviandari and Rita Kefi at HIVOS Southeast Asia
Composed by Cherika Hardjakusumah, with editing support the HPNET Secretariat

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"HIDDEN NO MORE": AN INTERVIEW WITH IBEKA'S EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, TRI MUMPUNI

10/2/2020

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Our Hidden No More feature series spotlights women change-makers who have transformed gender barriers, and made impactful contributions to energy access for marginalized communities.

In this edition, we spoke with Tri Mumpuni, the Executive Director of IBEKA (Institut Bisnis dan Ekonomi Kerakyatan), who has been engaged in rural development work in Indonesia for more than 30 years. Together with her husband and her team, they have implemented more than 60 micro hydro and pico hydro projects across the archipelago. For her dedication, she has won various international awards, including WWF Climate Hero in 2005, Ashden Awards 2012, and ASEAN Social Impact Award in 2018.

Tri Mumpuni, also known as Ibu Puni, shared with us her journey as a female micro hydro practitioner in Indonesia and her work to prepare the next generation in micro hydro and social development sectors.

Tri Mumpuni at Cinta Mekar MHP. Credit: T.Mumpuni

When and how did you start your career in micro hydro?

I started in 1996. My husband, Pak Iskandar, started way earlier. He is an engineer and he has the expertise in micro hydro technology.

We work together as a team. He focuses on technical aspects, and I focus on the social aspects.

For a long time, people who live in the remote areas have been relying on diesel gensets or as a quick solution when they need electricity. Unfortunately, this is not stable nor sustainable. It brings profit to some people, but we can’t rely on it in the long run. That’s what we’re trying to change. But first, what we need is to change the people’s mindset.

Statistically, the electrification ratio in Indonesia is high (99%). How is the reality in the villages?

There is a misunderstanding in the definition of electrification ratio. The electrification ratio that has been used in the statistics counts by the number of villages or sub-district, not by inhabitants. So if there is one house in a sub-district that has electricity, it is counted that the whole sub-district is electrified.

This electrification ratio does not factor in the quality of the electricity itself. Based on my observation, there are many villages in Indonesia that only have electricity only from 6 to 10 pm. For example, in Aceh, Kalimantan, and Molucca Island. Ideally, if we are talking about electricity, then it should be available for 24 hours.

'Gotong Royong' or collective action in the village. Credit: T. Mumpuni

'Gotong Royong' or collective action. Credit: T. Mumpuni

MHP Powerhouse in Toraja, Sulawesi. Credit: T. Mumpuni

What inspired you to get involved in community development and energy access?

I find rural areas in Indonesia have a lot of economic potential. Unfortunately, the lack of energy access has become one of the biggest challenges in rural economic development.

‘Energizing villages’ in literal sense means to enable access to energy, more specifically electricity. However, that is not enough. To develop the economy, we also need humanitarian energy.

To do all these, we need somebody who has concerns, passion, and a genuine heart to think of how to allow this energy to flow to the villages in need. Somebody who could bring ‘light’ as in electricity, but also somebody who can ‘enlighten’ the people and the communities in the villages with the know-how to to develop their economy.

You have to be brave and courageous to bring such a change. How do you play your role here?

It’s God’s calling. I never dreamt of working in the micro hydro sector.

My husband is a micro hydro technology expert, but he cannot do everything alone. When we go to the field, I help him to engage with the local community. We face numerous bureaucratic/ administrative hurdles, and in some areas we have to deal with rackets (preman).

It’s not an easy task. We are doing this for the local people, but we also face challenges imposed directly or indirectly by them. The local values of gotong royong (collective action) have vanished due to corruption in different layers of the government - which does not only hinder our projects, even worse, it hinders rural economic development.

You have been involved in more than 80 micro hydro projects in Indonesia, from Aceh to Papua. What other realities do you see in your MHP journey?

There is one experience that struck me the most. It was in Aceh. Around 20 km from where we worked, we found somebody doing another micro hydro installation but it was badly engineered, had a very poor civil construction. It didn’t function and didn’t serve its purpose.

This is the result of a project that was handled by people who are not experts in MHP. This thing happened because the government used a public tender system for MHP projects, and the company that won this tender, subcontracted the work to several other companies. In the end, the project didn’t meet the quality standard and didn’t benefit the local community.

Who are the people in your team? Are there women who support you on this?

I have a very solid team at IBEKA who are young and well-trained. We also have a woman who is a gender-expert in our team.

Women’s participation in micro hydro remains limited. Generally, women are not yet involved in project initiation or development. The interest in this is still low.

They are more involved in the energy utilization aspect. In Sumba for example, we work closely with women who have a home industry.

How do you ensure the sustainability of your MHP projects?

What I do with the IBEKA team is community-based development. Before we construct anything, we firstly prepare the local communities. For 3 months up to 1 year, we teach them the basic knowledge of MHP, and then we train them to operate and to maintain it so that they can be self-sufficient. This is what we call people-driven development.

We are in close touch with the communities that we are working with. Technology makes it easy now for us to communicate by text/ Whatsapp. We also regularly hold review meetings online.

Receiving the Ashden Award from the British Government. Credit: T. Mumpuni

What does it take for you to become the person who brings this ‘light’ to the people in the rural area?

First of all, I am passionate about what I’m doing, and that is important. In my role, apart from convincing myself, I have to convince others. I am highly committed to my work, and I really hope that there will be regeneration. This is the legacy that I’d like to leave to the younger generation.

What keeps you motivated?

This journey makes me addicted. I cannot stop doing good for others. When we were in the field, completed our construction, and switched on the energy supply for the first time in one evening; people screamed happily and some even sobbed. This happy energy motivates me to keep doing this and go further.

What message would you like to share to readers especially for the next generation of women micro hydro champions?

For us who work in community development, we need to create a driver, not an enabler. I’ll use a mountain bike as an illustration. A person can go to the top of the mountain by biking. Without a bike, this person can still go to the mountain by hiking.

This is how I picture driver and enabler. Micro hydro is a tool for human empowerment, it is not a tool for creating profit. If we do well, profit will follow, but it also has to make a social impact.

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MEMBER PROFILE: NEPED HYDROGERS IN NE INDIA

10/1/2020

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We are glad to have HPNET member Mr. Takum Chang from the Nagaland Empowerment of People Through Energy Development (NEPeD) share about NEPeD’s pico hydro approach.

Credit: http://surveying-mapping-gis.blogspot.com/

Introduction

Nagaland is one of the seven sister states of northeast India. The region is rich in biodiversity and natural resources. There are many villages in Nagaland that have access to small rivers and streams. These rivers have enough hydro power potential to meet the electricity demand of the entire state.

Since 2007, NEPeD’s mission has been to educate and empower people to help maintain biodiversity and vital ecosystem services, while simultaneously ensuring equitable access to adequate clean energy supply.

NEPeD manufacturers and installs pico hydro systems called Hydrogers, a term coined by NEPeD, joining the words hydro and generator. It refers to the type of pico hydro system developed by NEPeD.

Clean and green energy through NEPeD’s efforts, however small, could contribute to the mitigation of global climate change concerns in the Eastern Himalayan region as it de-couples the dependence on traditional fossil fuels.

Remote village in the Sanglekong mountain range, in Tuensang District of Nagaland. Credit: NEPeD

“Made-in-Nagaland” Hydroger for pico hydro developed by NEPeD. Credit: NEPeD

Local Technology Development

The most interesting aspect about Hydroger Systems is that they are not imported from elsewhere but are indigenously manufactured in Nagaland itself. NEPeD established the Centre of Excellence for Renewable Energy Studies (CERES) to manufacture hydro technology locally, making it available easily in the region. NEPeD, in collaboration with the Nagaland Tool Room and Training Centre (NTTC), Dimapur, ventured into the indigenization of the Hydroger system. The first funding towards mass production of Hydroger was supported by National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) under Rural Innovation Fund (RIF).

The Hydroger model manufactured in CERES has been successfully tested and certified at the Alternate Hydro Energy Centre (AHEC) at Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Roorkee. CERES is the only known centre to solely focus on mass production of Hydroger technology. CERES is also the hub of knowledge dissemination. Many trainings were provided to small hydro engineers, technicians and practitioners in the region. NEPeD is also supporting a private entrepreneur under its entrepreneurship development programme for research and development of the Electronic Load Controller (ELC).

Local Capacity Building

To maintain the Hydroger Project’s sustainability and continuity of efforts in the long run, it is key to have a cadre of skilled rural engineers on-site. NEPeD has trained more than 50 engineers to oversee and manage the sites’ operation. NEPeD has also prepared them to help up-scale the Hydroger installation in the future. They will provide hands-on support, ranging from site selection, maintenance, to installation of higher capacity modules. Employing rural engineers and technicians will not only help to generate income but also to grow the rural economy.

Community members installing the penstock. Credit: NEPeD

Community members working on the distribution line. Credit: NEPeD

Community training on pico hydro and watershed management. Credit: NEPeD

Socio-Environmental Governance

There are many dimensions to the Hydroger Project. Not only does it help to address basic electricity needs of people living in the villages, but it also has impacts on the environment, social and economic sectors. Most of the NEPeD’s Hydroger installations are owned and managed by the communities. Communities with Hydroger systems undergo capacity building and conservation of environmental ideas is deeply ingrained as part of this training. Each project site is also capacitated and facilitated to evolve their own revenue model.

Hydroger being a clean and alternative source of renewable energy has made an impact through energy delivery. NEPeD while introducing and promoting this technology, has also encouraged the villagers to maintain the upland catchment areas to ensure a sustainable supply of water.

Targeted Impact

Setting up of Hydroger projects have been done following a model that is holistic and integrated. It is designed to be easily replicated. The common sectoral impacts as registered by the existing Hydroger Project sites are as listed below.

Social
- Community ownership
- Revitalized social dynamics-greater community bonding and interaction
- Health sanitation related impacts
- Empowerment and involvement of women in the decision-making process

Economic
- Source of revenue generation for the community
- Employment of individuals
- Increased man hours industries such as handicrafts

Environment
- Generation of clean sustainable energy
- Decreased dependence on fossil fuels
- Spreading/ creating awareness on environmental fronts
- Community commitments to conserve and protect catchment areas and biodiversity

Replication across NE India

The benefits have also been appraised by the neighbouring States that want to replicate this model. The low cost, light weight, accessible operation and versatile utility of the Hydroger systems have allowed widespread adoption. Besides Nagaland, the Hydroger is used in Meghalaya, Sikkim, Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh, Maharashtra and Jammu & Kashmir. NEPeD has has installed over 50 units across northeast India, mostly in Nagaland. Another 50+ units will be installed in partnership with the Meghalaya Basin Development Authority, where NEPeD will also train technicians in each village to install, manage, and troubleshoot. There has also been an interest to develop Hydrogers commercially.

Next Phase Vision

The Hydroger Project has successfully evolved into a model for a sustainable and community-owned electricity generation in rural areas. It is improving their quality of life, improving their livelihoods, creating unprecedented awareness, community participation, and most importantly developing governance at a decentralized level.

The initiative is based on the realization that the availability of energy is vital for sustainable development and poverty reduction efforts. Energy affects various aspects of development - social, economic, and environmental - including livelihoods, access to water, agricultural productivity, health, population levels, education, and gender-related issues. NEPED also seeks to further develop state level capacity to manage the environment and natural resources; integrate environmental and energy dimensions into poverty reduction strategies and state level development frameworks; and strengthen the role of communities and of women in promoting sustainable development.

At the same time, NEPED understands that sustainable energy security initiatives have multiple dimensions. By focusing on micro/mini hydropower as a reliable renewable source for providing energy security in a difficult terrain where grid connectivity is available erratically, NEPED also intends to create replicable models for watersheds in Nagaland, other North-eastern states, and the Himalayan sub-region.

Hydro resource in eastern Nagaland. Credit: NEPeD

Recommendations

1. Transition from pico to micro hydro
Over the years, the energy demand of rural communities has increased. They require reliable, uninterrupted, and sufficient energy supply. They require higher capacity than the current 3kW Hydrogers produce. Although some villages have access to the central grid, electricity from the Hydroger is more cost effective then the central grid. Therefore communities have been demanding Hydrogers of higher capacity. Farmers have expressed the need for energy to add value to their agricultural processing. NEPeD will strive to leverage the resources for installing higher capacity hydro power systems and hopes to achieve its objective to integrate the environmental and energy dimensions into rural economic development strategies. NEPeD’s aim to transition from pico to micro hydro systems is a natural progression given the large energy demand-supply gap in Nagaland.

2. Access to subsidy and credit
For NEPeD and also for many other small hydro practitioners in North East India, the only source of funding is the Ministry under Government of India (GOI). However, most of the funding from the Ministry must go through its state-level nodal agencies. It is not easy for other departments or practitioners to access funding from the Ministry. To address this challenge, special consideration or arrangement of funding processes for other departments and practitioners will accelerate prospects of small hydro systems. Private practitioners and implementers have to be encouraged, especially in Nagaland, to pick up the pace for development of small hydro in the state. Credit facilities from banks and other financial institutions could be another option for the communities to get resources for setting up small hydro systems of capacity as per their total energy requirement and also meeting the energy requirement for productive use.

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INDONESIA: THE 100-YEAR OLD SALIDO-KECIL MINI HYDRO PROJECT

9/30/2020

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The Salido Kecil Mini Hydro Project (MHP) was built at least 100 years ago in West Sumatra and continues to operate. Directly involved in the project’s sustainability, in this article Gerhard Fischer and Ardi Nugraha of PT entec Indonesia, based in Bandung, explore the project’s journey from a captive plant for local enterprise to a grid-interconnected system, with the Gold Standard Verified Emission Reductions (GS-VER).

More detail on the project can be found in the project’s CDM document here.

Technical Overview

The civil engineering and electro-mechanical equipment of the Salido Kecil MHP, although built ~100 years ago, is an engineering masterpiece and a benchmark for high-quality hydropower projects even for today. The system is equipped with Siemens & Schuckert generators, Pelton turbines, and first-generation Hansen & MAN mechanical jet deflectors, all from Germany.

Civil work infrastructure. A 2.2 km long power channel -- partially in an earth-covered tunnel, with 4 long aqueducts and a pair of parallel gravel sedimentation basins near the intake, and a pair of parallel de-sanders near the forebay -- provide the perfect water quality for the operation of the electro-mechanical system. With a head of 110 m, the cast iron penstock is 342 m long and 600/700 m in diameter, with lead-sealed joints.

Electro-mechanical system. The system has 3 generators direct-coupled at 750 RPM to 3 different Pelton turbines, each of 400 kVa capacity. Each turbine has 2 runners on the shaft, with 4 nozzles. In total, there are 6 runners and 12 nozzles. Eight nozzles are on/off type and 4 nozzles are adjustable, in order to fine tune the water level at the forebay tank during the dry season. The system is equipped with synchronizing jet defector control at each nozzle. The design output of the system was 600 kW.

Project Timeline

Early 1900s: The project was constructed by Dutch engineers to provide electricity to a nearby gold mine.
1940s: Japanese military occupied the plant for its own use.
1950s: The Indonesian civil war resulted in the abandoning of the project, during which the penstock was extensively damaged from extreme floods in West Sumatra.
Early 1960s: PT. Anggrek Mekar Sari (AMS) repaired the system and obtained government permission to operate and sell electricity to the local grid of the utility, PLN.
1960s - 1990s: AMS’ attempt to sell electricity to the neighboring city of Painan and later to a local cement factory failed due to PLN connecting the area to the West Sumatra grid.
1995: During a period of large government subsidy for diesel, PLN connected a diesel-powered plant to the same local grid, and AMS was forced to disconnect the Selido-Kecil Mini Hydro from the local grid.
1995 - 2005: To survive financially, AMS sold electricity to its own ice factory, utilizing the one last functional turbine. entec AG from Switzerland conducts field assessments and an investor search to rehabilitate the entire system of 3 turbines.
2006: After much difficulty in finding investors due to the policy situation, entec AG decided to invest on its own and secured a loan from the Triodos Development Bank in the Netherlands.
2006 - 2007: PT entec Indonesia (a subsidiary of entec AG) jointly with AMS, on a Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) basis, started the rehabilitation of the “Unit 2” turbine, resulting in an output of 315 kW.
2008 - 2009: The “Unit 1” turbine is rehabilitated. The project obtains the Gold Standard Verified Emission Reductions (GS-VER).
2011 - 2012: The “Unit 3” turbine is rehabilitated, requiring the ice factory to close.
2013: All 3 units are rehabilitation and operational, generating 780 kW, instead of the expected design output of 1000 kW, due to losses in the penstock.

Source for timeline: Rehabilitation of the Mini Hydro Power Plant PLTA Salido Kecil, Feasibility Study, Entec AG Switzerland, 1999

The AMS and PT entec’s turbine rehabilitation team for the Salido Kecil MHP, including MHP legendary expert Gerhard Fischer (second from left). Credit: PT entec

Salido-Kecil MHP electro-mechanical system after rehabilitation. Credit: PT entec

Feed-In-Tariff Challenges

There are two schemes of power purchase agreement in Indonesia’s energy administration: excess power and independent power. Unfortunately it was not possible until now to change the Excess Power Purchase Agreement (EPPA) applied during the operation of the ice factory to an Independent Power Producer Agreement (IPPA), and the tariff is still very low. From 2005 until 2018, it was IDR 441 (USD 0.045 / kWh in 2005). From 2018 until today, it has been IDR 470 IDR (USD 0.032 / kWh ), which is a fraction of the IPPA tariff in the region (about USD 0.061 / kWh).

Considering the inflation, the USD 0.045 in 2005 is equivalent to USD 0.060 today and not USD 0.032 US. So the actual tariff paid is again being lowered every year. Without an increase of utility tariff, history may repeat, and the operation in some years will again not be profitable. Moreover, in the last 3 years the power plant has been disconnected for some months due to administrative issues and it has been causing a huge income loss.

Since September 2019 the power plant has been interconnected again. However, the following observations were made:

The power plant is on the end of a transmission line branch. More and more consumers are connecting, and the voltage is often dropping in the peak power times below 200V. This causes an overheating of the generator and transformer, and the generator must be disconnected in the peak hour. This triggers another voltage drop to 190V of the grid and reconnection is technically only possible at around 11pm or when the voltage is above 215V.

The operation of Salido MHP reduces the transmission loss of the utility in our power line to the distribution transformer for about 10% of our production. This is not considered in the paid tariff- the opposite is the case– we need to switch off during peak hours because the voltage is too low.

Gold Standard CDM Agreement and CO₂ Avoidance

Since 2006 Salido Kecil has produced more than 29 million kWh. What does this number mean? Well, producing this energy with diesel fuel would be the equivalent of about 9,700,000 L diesel fuel or 1,200 tank lorries, 8,000 L each. Lining up those lorries would result in a 12 km long traffic jam!

As per definition of the VER standard, more than 20,000 tons of CO₂ have been avoided, which is an equivalent of 11,000,000 m3 CO₂ gas. This is the volume equivalent of a balloon filled with CO₂ gas with 280 m in diameter, or the CO₂ gas that 20,000 trees would absorb in 40 years.

Power channel surrounded by forest. Credit: PT entec

Fallen trees at the power channel. Credit: PT entec

Narrow road access helped to prevent logging. Credit: PT entec

Recreation area developed at the site. Credit: PT entec

Deforestation at the site. Credit: PT entec

Repair of power channel in Sept. 2020. Credit: PT entec

Catchment Area Protection

The water flow is reducing from year to year. The catchment area is mostly an extremely healthy tropical forest in the Kerinci Seblat National Park. Unfortunately, the buffer zone area near the 2.2 km long channel structures is village-owned and less protected. Until two years ago the access to this area was naturally blocked by vegetation and a narrow pathway. The limited access made it difficult to transport wood and agricultural products out of the forest, and therefore prevented uncontrolled and unwise logging.

Now there is infrastructure that widens the pathway and makes this area accessible for the public. In fact, the intake area of the MHP has been opened as a recreation area. During the recent COVID-19 lock down, the untouched area and steep long channel was cleared, which unfortunately exposed the civil structures to erosion and landslides. In addition, many old trees along the channel have been logged to clear land for agriculture.

In September 2020, PT entec had to repair a part of the power channel that severely cracked due to shifting terrain resulting from the erosion. Before this, the geology of the project site had been stable for 100 years -- thanks to healthy forests.

Water Supply and Irrigation

The water for the public water supply of Painan (10 km away) is taken out of the river below the MHP weir at the intake. Up to now this water is coming from a side river – if demand for water supply is rising and river flow is decreasing in the dry season, due to deforestation or climate, the available flow may reduce possible electricity production especially during the dry season. In addition to this, the water at the powerhouse tailrace is diverted to an irrigation scheme for rice fields, which has had significant economic benefit.

Weir for publich water supply downstream from the MHP weir, established by the local water company, Perusahaan Daerah Air Minum. Credit: PT entec

Irrigation structure installed at the powerhouse tailrace. Credit: PT entec

Current Status

At the start of 2020, PT entec came to know that the channel had leakages, due to the channel crack that had formed because of erosion from deforestation, as explained above. The channel structure had started to sink down. Last month the leakage became severe, decreasing the output to 200 kW due to a loss of 100 L/s.

Despite COVID-19 travel restrictions, PT entec decided to repair and conduct a technical inspection of the entire power plant. Immediate shutdown and repair were conducted to avoid a potential landslide.

Not caring for such a problem can cause extremely high repair costs, not to mention long periods of shut down. A similar situation occurred at the 250 kW mini hydro project at the Tea Plantation Dewata on Java Island, causing a shut down of 5 months and damage costing far above 100,000 USD. Fortunately, the Salido power plant is back to full operation now. PT entec will continue to monitor.

Closing Thoughts

The Salido Kecil MHP is one of many examples that show small-scale hydro power is still in many places a very sustainable renewable energy source. However the feed-in-tariff is still low for renewable energy and in particular for mini hydro power. The reason for this is that fossil fuel is still cheap, and there are many administrative obstacles to developing projects.

However, land use in rural communities often changes dramatically due to an increasing population pressure and the increasing income requirements for the rural population, in order to catch up with technological development and increasing wish to participate in the lifestyle shown by the internet and social media.

Cash crop production without any care for soil erosion protection and maintaining the biodiversity of the entire region is a pragmatic approach taken by the locals. It is a big task to raise awareness for the consequences of soil erosion and the urgent need of investing now into a clean and permanently flowing river supplying water for irrigation and public water supply.

It will be not easy but worthwhile to combine all factors of energy protection, economic, ecological, and environmental aspects; and protect the Salido Kecil’s historical asset and the beautiful forest along the waterway and the catchment area for future generations.

There is a big potential for eco-tourism and recreation in nature. It is therefore crucial to conduct an assessment to measure the economic values of the natural capital in this area and to develop environmental regulation that protects biodiversity, as well as local communities.

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WHY WATERSHEDS MATTER

9/22/2020

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Our initiative Social Enterprise for Energy, Ecological and Economic Development (SEEED) aims to support local practitioners and communities to transition to a sustainable approach to micro hydro. It aims to unlock the potential for hydro mini-grids to bring long term environmental and socioeconomic benefits — to support empowerment that goes well beyond kilowatts.

As we continue to develop this initiative, we want to facilitate a closer look at the core thematic elements that constitute SEEED. Last quarter we shared about the foundational aspect of reliability, and the role of manufacturing standards to ensure technical reliability. Today we share about an equally important aspect to micro hydro reliability and also sustainability -- healthy watersheds. The article is developed by HPNET member and watershed expert, Ms. Koto Kishida.

Credit: Gram Vikas

Watersheds and Climate Resilience

There are a number of accounts of negative impacts of climate change in rural communities where our members work. Many of the communities have known the importance of healthy watersheds, as they are the source of drinking and irrigation water, as well as timber and non-timber products that provide food and livelihood.

Those communities have traditional rules to sustainably manage their natural resources. HPNET members who work on local community-based hydropower also understand that building resilient watersheds is key for the communities to sustain and regulate stream flow, secure clean drinking and sanitation water, as well as forest resources that could support sustainable rural development. Gram Vikas’ work in Odisha, India is one such example.

U Zaw Min, an MHP practitioner in Myanmar, maps a watershed. Credit: D. Vaghela

Watersheds and Micro Hydro

In addition, healthy watersheds are the foundation to sustainable community-based hydropower that is also highly beneficial socio-economically.

Hydropower requires a consistent water supply to generate electricity year-round. Seasonal fluctuations in stream-flow, as well as topography and changes in forest cover all impact a system’s energy output, making some systems more vulnerable. When the forest above hydropower intake is logged, the retention capacity of the soil and stream-flow is altered. This could result in greater variability between wet and dry season flow rates, and increase the risk of flood and landslides that could damage hydropower structures. Increased siltation can also clog intakes and wear down turbine runners, incurring additional maintenance costs.

Maintaining and establishing mature forest cover alleviates the impacts of seasonal variability in flow, reduces landslide risks, and can help build resilience against the impacts of climate change. The potential for the communities to access stable sources of electricity provides communities with hydropower an added incentive to protect their watersheds. Community-scale hydropower reinforces environmental traditions by incentivizing watershed strengthening, which, in turn, enables reliable and sustainable power supply. (Examples of this can be found in our feature series, Earth Voices)

Watersheds and Reforestation

A plantation site supported by Gram Vikas in Kalahandi in early 2000s before getting the watershed treatment. Credit: Gram Vikas

A plantation site supported by Gram Vikas in Kalahandi after getting watershed treatment in 2018. Credit: Gram Vikas

The key to thriving watersheds are forests. Establishing and maintaining mature forest conditions as a way to mitigate and adapt to climate change could be achieved through conservation and restoration of watersheds informed by local knowledge and best practices. Thriving watersheds with forest cover could significantly mitigate the negative impacts of climate change by offsetting carbon emissions and build resilience against severe weather events and other climate change impacts. Forest conservation in community-based hydropower watersheds could be valuable for climate mitigation because the watersheds tend to be in the upper basins where forests provide the cleanest water and provide habitat for diverse flora and fauna.

Many rural communities in the global south have traditional rules around resource management. Competing land use pressures such as farming, logging, and development by community members as well as external entities make observing such rules challenging. The communities can keep each other accountable by negotiating a plan to prioritize land uses and conservation goals. If all parties commit to implement the plan as a management guide, it could facilitate data collection, fundraising efforts, evaluation of the impact of the plan, and opportunities to adjust management strategies for more impact. Depending on the scale and land ownership of the hydropower watersheds, community would be easier with support from a CSO or a project manager.

Community Micro Hydro + Reforestation

Integrating community-based hydro with reforestation will have dual benefits for rural communities. In addition to the reasons provided above, access to electricity supports income generation of rural households and communities -- the lack of which can exacerbate deforestation.

Due to the inherent nature of community-scale and community-based hydropower, rural communities accessing hydropower are often already organized with active committees for management of the system as well as its load. The committee members often include those with in-depth knowledge of watersheds who could contribute local knowledge to forest conservation and enhancement efforts.

There are cases of reforestation activities affiliated with community hydro projects as well as the communities pledging to conserve watersheds in a form of contracts between funding organizations and the communities.

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MICRO HYDRO UPDATE FROM CAMEROON

8/29/2020

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Rural Solutions RS, founded by Mr. Atud Jonathan Asaah, has been working in the northwest of Cameroon to help increase access to electricity and develop rural economic growth through micro hydro projects.

Despite the high level of insecurity in the northwest of Cameroon due to the civil war that has disrupted major project activities this year, Mr. Asaah shared with us about the latest situation in Bessi Village, where he and the Rural Solutions RS are building a micro hydro intake structure. He also provides recommendations on how to improve energy access in Cameroon.

Credit: Atud Jonathan Asaah

Bessi village is one of the 22 villages that make up the present day Batibo subdivision and is located 45 km from Bamenda, the chief town of the North West region of Cameroon. The geography of the village is hilly with small water resources dotted in almost all the quarters and provide favorable conditions to set up “run-of-the river” type of micro hydro electricity projects for off-grid lighting. This is recommended because it requires basic civil infrastructure. It should be noted that the parliament deliberated and adopted BILL No. 896/PJL/ in 2011 comprising the Law governing the electricity sector in Cameroon and paved the way for the liberalization of the electricity sector, since then, there has been a very timid response from private investors especially small scale producers due to poor incentives.

Credit: Atud Jonathan Asaah

Less than 17% of the Cameroon rural population has access to electricity. For the government to achieve its objective of rural electrification, the production, transmission, distribution and supply of power needs to bring onboard private small scale producers who can produce and sell the energy to the national grid at least at production cost. This will gradually lead to a smart grid system. At the moment, Cameroon is facing an extreme energy shortage and it has put many remote areas into darkness. The present demand for energy has gone far above the production capacity Like in metropolitan areas, new settlement areas are coming up every day and due to the many bottlenecks to get domestic grid subscription, and some people fall into illegal connections (“branchements anarchiques”) and falsifying the subscribers’ inventory of the national grid line. Many step down transformers are overloaded giving way to voltage fluctuations.

Cameroon has a unique position within the CEMAC region, an Economic Commission of Central African states, whose principal objective is regional integration for economic growth. Cameroon is also the third country in Africa with the highest hydro potential (after the DRC and Ethiopia) with approximately 23,000 megawatts of exploitable hydro power. At present Cameroon has exploited just approximately 3%. For Cameroon to take an economic advantage of this position, there is a need to strengthen its energy sector to power its industries which inevitably is the locomotive of development.

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MANAGEMENT APPROACHES FOR SUSTAINABLE HYDRO MINI-GRIDS

8/29/2020

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We are glad to have Mr. Bikash Uprety, Technical Advisor at Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH to kindly share his thoughts on micro hydro management models, with a focus on Nepal's experience.

Credit: Bikash Uprety

In his recent Linkedin article, he explores four different management models, namely the community-based model, the cooperative model, the private management model, and the leasing model.

Moreover, he also outlines strategies and three phases of planning to effectively implement micro hydro projects.

The full text of the article can be accessed here.

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MALAYSIA: OPERATORS TRAINING FOR THE KOBULU MICRO HYDRO PROJECT

8/12/2020

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TONIBUNG, TObpinai NIngkokoton koBUruon KampuNG (Friends of Village Development), is an indigenous-lead non-profit organisation dedicated to the development and promotion of renewable energy and appropriate technology in Malaysia. To advance its mission, Tonibung has established the Center for Renewable Energy and Appropriate Technology (CREATE) in Kota Kinabalu.

In July 2020, the Tonibung team conducted a training for 9 village operators and community members of the Kobulu Micro Hydro Project. Supported by the WISIONS initiative, the training aimed to enhance the operators’ skills on micro hydro load management, using hands-on and do-it-yourself knowledge tools developed for operators and communities.

The objectives of the course included:

Provide training on how to use the Electronic Load Controller (ELC) Simulation Tool, which simulates how the ELC operates as households use different electrical appliances simultaneously.
Provide training on how to use the Canary Chic Load Indicator
Provide training on troubleshooting the ELC
Provide foundational civil, mechanical, and electrical skills related to micro hydro

Credit: Tonibung

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FROM STAND-ALONE SYSTEM TO DISTRIBUTED GENERATION: GRID INTERCONNECTIVITY IN NEPAL

8/10/2020

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In January of 2018, the Syaurebhumi 23 kW micro hydro system was connected to the national grid in Nuwakot, Nepal, making it the first grid interconnected micro hydro project (MHP) in the country. This pilot project emerged from a government policy for grid interconnection of MHPs of less than 100kW capacity; the policy attempted to respond to the widespread abandonment of MHPs, which was occurring as the national grid expanded into previously off-grid service areas.

NEW PAPER: Micro Hydropower in Nepal: A Journey from Stand-alone System to Distributed Generation

The publication is an excellent example of multi-stakeholder collaboration -- between government, utility, private sector, academia and international development actors. Contributions came from individuals at the Alternative Energy Promotion Centre (AEPC), Renewable Energy for Rural Livelihoods, Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA), ECN part of TNO and Preesu Electronics P. Ltd.. The authors are all HPNET members who have contributed to our Grid Interconnection Work Stream. Through the data provided in the publication the authors wish to bring greater attention to load control and protection technology -- specifically for interconnected micro/mini hydropower (<1MW), which is often overshadowed by technology developments in large hydro or solar PV controller technology.

Multi-Actor Participation for Successful Grid Interconnectivity

The multi-actor collaboration that brought this paper to fruition echoes the broader, integrated approach to energy planning in Nepal, which has played a vital role in the country’s grid interconnection success thus far. For grid interconnection to become a successful reality, there must be collaborative participation from local and national governments, minigrid developers (including local communities), utilities, donors and researchers.

A fragmented approach, lacking multi-actor participation, often hinders progress toward successful policy for grid interconnectivity. Taking note from Nepal’s approach, an integrated, multi-stakeholder approach could further advance grid interconnection efforts in Myanmar, Pakistan, Indonesia and other countries across S/SE Asia.

Click here to access the paper on Energypedia.

Abstract:

Nepal is known for its successful rural electrification efforts through community owned and managed standalone micro hydropower projects (MHP) that have helped transform its rural economy. Unfortunately, as soon as the national grid reaches a micro hydro catchment area, things start falling apart. For various reasons, people’s preference is the grid and eventually switch over from MHP which then lies idle and ultimately abandoned. A recent survey carried out by the Alternative Energy Promotion Centre (AEPC) shows that about 8% of the MHPs in Province 1 have shut down. The number of abandoned plant would be much larger if MHPs of less than 10kW capacity are also considered. Thus, the Government of Nepal came-up with the policy for grid interconnection of MHPs of less than 100kW capacity. This opportunity of transforming a standalone system to grid connected system has several advantages for both the utility grid and the MHP, the grid gets power injection near the load centers whereas MHP earns additional revenue. The technological difference between grid interconnection of MHP and other hydropower projects shall be discussed in detail in the Nepalese context. A MATLAB simulation analysis is presented to demonstrate the technical viability of the interconnection in the 11kV feeder line. Moreover, financial and economic analysis of the grid interconnected systems is also discussed. This paper also focuses on how droop features of Electronic Load Controller (ELC) could have managed the proportional load sharing among the MHP plants if such ELC with droop features were available.

Authors:

Jiwan Kumar Mallik, AEPC/RERL - jiwan.mallik@aepc.gov.np

Satish Gautam, AEPC/RERL - satish.gautam@aepc.gov.np

Surendra Mathema, Preesu Electronics P. Ltd. - surendramathema@gmail.com

Binod Koirala, ECN part of TNO, Netherland - binod.koirala@tno.nl

Hitendra Dev Shakya, Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) - hitendradev@hotmail.com

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MICRO HYDRO TOOLKIT UPDATE: NEW VIDEOS

7/22/2020

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Have you seen our Micro Hydro Toolkit for practitioners? With support from the WISIONS SEPS, in partnership with Tonibung and Green Empowerment, HPNET has developed a set of technical tools for small-scale hydro practitioners. These practical tools, made by and for practitioners, include our Micro Hydro Standards Tool, Practitioners Database, Do-It-Yourself (DIY) "Canary" Load Indicator Device, DIY ELC Simulation tool, and our HPNET digital app.

We’re excited to introduce three new informative videos describing the ELC Simulation Tool and Canary Chic Load Indicator Device:

DIY Electronic Load Controller (ELC) Simulation Tool

A lack of local knowledge of Electronic Load Controllers (ELC) is often the reason for micro hydro shutdown. HPNET's Do-it-Yourself (DIY) ELC Simulation Tool is a physical device designed to help train village operators on the functionality of ELCs.

Watch the video for a snapshot of how the tool can be used to simulate load patterns and demonstrate the role of an ELC in regulating load.

Micro Hydro Toolkit App

The MHP Toolkit app is a graphic-based tool to help you understand basic, as well as in-depth technical aspects of community-scale hydropower. The app includes a digital version of the ELC Simulation Tool, described above. It also provides a micro hydro trouble-shooting guide, walking the user through tips and tests to solve issues ranging from over-voltage to unidentified noise coming from the powerhouse. The tool can be downloaded on Android and Windows.

This video provides a useful overview of the functionality of the MHP Toolkit app and all that it can offer practitioners.

Canary Chic Load Indicator

Some Micro-Hydro systems with a high electrical demand or lack of water resource can suffer from service interruptions. As consumers connect more appliances it can be difficult to know what the available capacity of the system is at any particular time during the day.

We set out to design a simple, low-cost, open-source device that can provide some insight for the consumers into when a system is reaching full capacity and therefore in danger of triggering a blackout.

This video gives a brief introduction to the device, how it works, how you can access the design materials, and how to make it most effective for your Micro-Hydro systems.

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RELIABLE MICRO & PICO HYDRO WITHSTAND THE TEST OF TIME IN SRI LANKA

7/22/2020

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Micro hydropower in Sri Lanka has played an immense role in energy access for the country, as well as the region. The Sri Lanka Energy Services Delivery Project (ESDP) and the follow-on Renewable Energy for Rural Economic Development Project (REREDP), both assisted by the World Bank (WB) and Global Environment Facility (GEF), provided extensive finance and technical assistance for the development of pico, micro, and mini hydro in Sri Lanka. (More in our Sri Lanka factsheet here.)

Decades later the country has a 98% electrification rate, mostly through grid extension. However, the local capacity built during the development of off-grid solutions now benefits other regions of S/SE Asia and also Africa. Sri Lanka micro/mini hydro experts support various other contexts, e.g. India, Myanmar, Rwanda. Its development in grid-interconnected micro hydro has inspired the same in Nepal (more here).

Likewise within Sri Lanka, utilities and regulatory bodies are keen to provide and maintain off-grid solutions that benefit last-mile communities that are not reachable by the main grid.

In this regard, HPNET member Padma Dewa Samaranayaka of the Sri Lanka Sustainable Energy Authority (SLSEA) recently visited 2 project sites and was pleased to see that the fruits of SLSEA’s energy access initiatives are continuing to pay off, bolstered by the diligent efforts of the local communities who operate and manage the systems.

The first project the team visited was the Kalakundawa micro hydro system, in Kaluthara District. The SLSEA team found that the 12 kW micro-grid continues to run well after 7 years of operation. Situated 9 km from the main grid, the Kalakundawa MHP provides electricity to 20 households in the village. The system has required only minor repairs, which have been supported by SLSEA.

Kalakundawa micro hydro system. Credit: P. D. Samaranayaka.

Visiting the Kalakundawa micro hydro system. Credit: P. D. Samaranayaka.

Kalakundawa micro hydro system. Credit: P. D. Samaranayaka.

Next, the team ventured to the very remote village of Galamudana, where SLSEA installed 2 1kW pico hydro systems 8 years ago. 30 houses are connected to the systems.

Galamudana pico hydro. Credit: P. D. Samaranayaka.

Visiting Galamudana pico hydro system. Credit: P. D. Samaranayaka.

In both villages SLSEA is taking stock of preventive maintenance needed to ensure the systems run for many more years to come.

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WHY MANUFACTURING STANDARDS MATTER

7/20/2020

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Have you heard about our SEEED initiative? Social Enterprise for Energy, Ecological and Economic Development (SEEED) is about supporting local practitioners and communities to transition to a sustainable approach to micro hydro, rooted in social enterprise. It’s about unlocking the potential for hydro mini-grids to bring long term environmental and socioeconomic benefits — to support empowerment that goes well beyond kilowatts.

As we continue to develop this initiative, we want to facilitate a closer look at the core elements that are needed to make SEEED happen. Firstly, reliable mini-grid technology is at the very heart of the solution. High-quality technical components provide the basis for long-lived, high-impact systems. This starts at the very first stage of the project: the quality of design, manufacturing, and installation. Appropriate standards for these steps can play a significant role in increasing technical reliability.

In this regard, HPNET has developed the MHP Standards Tool, in collaboration with Tonibung, Green Empowerment, with support from the WISIONS SEPS, which compiles standards and best practices from different countries. It can be accessed here. We are working to add more standards to the Tool and welcome your inputs.

For certain technical aspects -- such as manufacturing -- standards do not yet exist. In this article, HPNET member Joe Butchers sheds light on the “why” and the “how” of manufacturing standards for micro hydro quality verification, drawing on experiences from Nepal.

What is a standard?

A standard is a document that regulates expectations for a process, service, or product [1]. If a company is able to demonstrate that they have followed a particular standard, it shows that they have achieved an acceptable level of quality and are compliant with the regulations. For a product, they might indicate the expected dimensions, tolerances, and materials. Engineers use them as guidance when producing engineering drawings or writing technical documents. They guide the decisions made by designers when producing engineering drawings that are used by machinists, fabricators, and technicians.

How are standards used in micro/mini hydro?

Within mini/micro-hydropower, the use of standards can ensure equipment performs as required and that there is similarity between equipment produced by different manufacturers. As mini/micro-power sites are often located in remote regions, adherence to standards helps to reduce downtime. When engineers travel to a site for maintenance, they are aware of the type of equipment that they will find, increasing the possibility that they can repair the equipment quickly. If a part requires replacement, it can be ordered to site with confidence that it will be fit for purpose.

What are consequences of not enforcing manufacturing standards?

In Nepal, a reference micro-hydropower standard was first published in 2005 [2]. The standard provides a comprehensive overview of turbine selection, materials, dimensions, and design for electro-mechanical and civil components. Nowadays, the standard is not widely used by manufacturers nor applied during quality verification. This has resulted in a number of outcomes:

variation in installed equipment and its quality;
low quotation prices from unproven companies;
long downtimes as typically the original manufacturer is expected to carry out repairs.

How can the type of funding support impact quality?

In Nepal, where the vast majority of projects depend upon a subsidy, there is a significant opportunity to incorporate quality verification that considers adherence to the manufacturing standard. As recommended by the World Bank, a multi-stage inspection would ensure that there was quality in manufacture, construction, and installation [3]. Whilst expensive to integrate, the reduction in project failure and frequent repairs will save money in the long terms. In addition, the introduction of such checks forces manufacturers to improve the quality of constructed parts. The cost to manufacturers of not achieving a required standard would swiftly lead to changes in approach.

In locations where the subsidy driven model is less common, hydropower standards remain important. Where projects are private or donor funded, a required standard can be demanded from a manufacturer and agreed contractually. The project developer can conduct a quality check themselves or employ someone to do so, ensuring that the equipment meets the standard. HPNET has collected available standards online, these documents capture the experience of practitioners working across the world. To improve the status of micro/mini-hydro in relation to other electrification alternatives, ensuring quality is essential. By meeting the requirements of standards, manufacturers can ensure that hydro-mechanical systems deliver their expected power throughout their lifetime.

References

https://fractory.com/5-iso-standards-manufacturers/
AEPC. Reference micro-hydro standard. 2005.
World Bank. Mini and micro-hydropower applications. 2015.

Guest blog written by HPNET member Joe Butchers, a PhD Researcher at the University of Bristol, Electrical Energy Management Group.

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EARTH VOICES: FROM TAT GONE, MYANMAR

7/17/2020

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Our blog series Earth Voices sheds light on the connections between community-scale hydropower, indigenous-led conservation and sustainable development. Each edition highlights a different community, aiming to highlight that which makes each unique, while emphasizing a common thread – a worldview in which environmental sustainability is no new concept, but rather a reality which has underpinned community well-being and resilience for millennia. Earth Voices explores how community-scale hydropower reinforces environmental traditions by incentivizing watershed strengthening, which, in turn, enables reliable and sustainable power supply.

Cattle grazing in the picturesque Danu region of the Shan Highlands. Credit: Kyi Phyo Wai.

This year, we embarked upon the “UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration” -- a designation that reflects a dawning realization that nature-based solutions are critical to achieving a sustainable future. Needless to say, it’s been a challenging start thus far. The COVID-19 pandemic has thrown a wrench in agenda setting, resource flows, and action on conservation and climate. Out of necessity, the world’s attention has turned to the immediate concerns of the global health and economic crisis. Yet, the urgency of the climate emergency continues to escalate, and ecosystem restoration remains imperative to planetary health and social-ecological resilience. In fact, in addition to combating climate change, forest conservation and restoration can prevent the emergence of new zoonotic diseases and future pandemics.

With all this in mind, it’s evermore critical to highlight local communities and indigenous peoples who have been championing conservation and regenerative solutions for millennia. While political leaders grapple with COVID-19 recovery efforts, and international actors face funding and travel restrictions, local communities continue to push forward nature-based solutions.

For this 3rd edition of our Earth Voices feature series, we bring you one such example from the Danu region of Shan State, Myanmar. This edition shines a light on the village of Tat Gone, where local change-makers harness the interconnected benefits of watershed restoration and community-scale hydropower. Read on, to learn how eco-restoration supports Tat Gone’s reliable power supply and cultural resilience, and to gain a glimpse into the vision and journey of an inspiring community mobilizer.

Myanmar’s locally-grown off-grid energy sector

Ethnic conflict and political strife have affected Myanmar for many decades, and the country only recently opened up after a half-century of Military rule. This context has posed various challenges for Myanmar’s energy sector. Decentralization has been ineffective in practice, meaning that region and state governments have little or no control over energy policies, plans and budgets. Additionally, areas controlled by armed groups are present in many regions and sometimes have their own infrastructure. Corruption and foreign export of generated energy further complicate matters and impede progress within the sector. [Hivos Myanmar 2019]

Despite these challenges and conflicts, Myanmar has a long history of locally developed, small-scale renewable energy technology, which has proven its efficacy over the past 30 years. To date, more than 6,000 small-scale hydro systems and 10,000 biomass gasifiers have been implemented by local developers, without donor support, foreign technology or enabling policy. Solar power has also emerged in more recent years, supporting agricultural end uses, with significant benefits for rural farmers across the country. These clean, low-cost energy solutions are attributed to a thriving community of grassroots entrepreneurs, whose resourcefulness has brought transformative impacts to thousands of rural communities.

This video provides a glimpse of Myanmar’s indigenous community hydro sector, featuring the Tat Gone pico hydro systems and 3 other community-scale hydro systems in Shan State.

The Danu region and people

Tat Gone village is located in the Ywangan Township of the Danu Self-Administered Zone, in the picturesque Shan Highlands. The region is home to the Danu people, a government-recognized ethnic group in Myanmar, who have a long history in Southern Shan State. The Danu people have their own language and practice Theravada Buddhism. Their unique culture is hinted at in the history of the term ‘Danu’ itself, which links back to the legend of Prince Kummabhaya, whose bow and arrow rescued seven princesses trapped in the caves by a giant spider.

In addition to being rich in culture, the Danu region is rich in environmental resources and fertile land. A productive and profitable agriculture sector provides a key source of income, supporting local livelihoods in Danu communities. International organizations such as USAID, Winrock International and GIZ have invested extensively in agri value chains in the area, particularly in tea-leaf and coffee production. Today, Danu coffee is sold in Seattle and elsewhere around the world.

Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, local producers have seen a significant drop in the selling price of tea-leaf and other crops, such as fruits. This has negatively impacted the local economy, however Danu communities such as Tat Gone are less severely impacted than others, in that they aren’t as dependent on external markets.

Rice paddy in Pindaya, Danu SAZ. Credit: K. Phyo.

Green paddy nursery and strawberry field in Pindaya, Danu SAZ. Credit: K. Phyo.

Environment, conflict and resistance

The region’s fertile land has also supported poppy plantations – the plant from which opium derives – fueling long-standing conflicts. Poppy plantations existed in the Danu region until the late 1960s to early 1970s, at which point a UNDP initiative substituted the plantations with tea-leaf growing. The Danu townships of Pindaya and Ywangan have since eradicated poppy growing, however it persists in other areas within Shan State, such as Lawksawk. Some armed ethnic groups still exist in these areas and conflicts between the military and community groups persist in this ‘triangle’ linking eastern, southern and northern Shan.

That said, the Danu people strive to maintain peace in the region. Residents have heard that the military has plans to establish a base camp in a watershed area in the Danu region, but the local communities don’t accept military entering the area.

Other challenges also persist in the Danu region, stemming from natural resources. For instance, the area has attracted mining and widespread logging, with devastating consequences for local communities and ecosystems. Mining has negatively impacted watershed ecosystems, while deforestation has resulted in frequent landslides and increasing water scarcity in summer months. However, local communities continue to resist natural resource exploitation on their lands. For instance, steadfast local resistance prevented a mining company from establishing itself in Mya Sa Ti – a Danu village with an important watershed, which provides drinking water to 20 nearby villages. Across the region, the Danu people continue to work to build back what has been lost, applying indigenous knowledge, innovation and determination to restore and conserve local ecosystems.

Landslide resulting from deforestation. Credit: MEE Net (Myanmar Team).

Deforestation has affected much of the Danu region. Credit: Kyi Phyo Wai.

Eco-restoration, land stewardship and hydropower

In 2000, the government mandated a Forest Conservation Department to lead conservation efforts in the area. However, local communities assert that the department is corrupted by profit motives and is ineffective, with limited human resources. According to Danu conservation champion, U Kyaw Lwin, “only bamboo remains in the government’s forest conservation area”; this is juxtaposed against thriving forest ecosystems that are stewarded by local communities, as per traditional knowledge.

It is the Danu people themselves who continue to conserve the primary forests, as they have always done, and who endeavor to restore ecosystems that have been degraded by logging and extractive industries. Danu communities carry an intricate understanding of local ecological systems, and the environment is very much intertwined with their culture and beliefs. In one Danu area, there are, in fact, plans in the works for a “forest conservation festival”, carrying religious significance, connected with Buddha’s teachings around living in harmony with nature.

The establishment of pico and micro hydropower has further strengthened pre-existing environmental stewardship practices among the Danu people. Small-scale hydro systems have been developed in at least 15 Danu villages, bringing extra incentive to protect the forest, since watersheds provide the perennial source of their electricity. As such, community-scale hydro has become intertwined with reforestation and conservation efforts across the region.

Local animal populations benefit from community-led resource management. Credit: MEE Net (Myanmar Team).

50 kW micro hydro system in Mying, Danu SAZ. Credit: MEE Net (Myanmar Team).

People-powered pico hydro

Tat Gone village provides a bottom-up example of an integrated approach to forest conservation and small-scale hydropower – in this case, largely attributed to the vision of one dedicated community mobilizer.

After seeing the wide-reaching benefits brought by community-scale hydro in other villages, U Kyaw Lwin was inspired to bring energy access to his own community through similar means. He learned the required technical skills from experienced local energy entrepreneurs, which he put to use in Tat Gone, toward a vision of ecologically sustainable and reliable energy provision.

Working together with other community members, U Kyaw Lwin led the installation of seven pico hydro systems in Tat Gone between 2000 and 2015. Six systems are currently in use, ranging from 1.5-5 kW capacity per system, with a total capacity of 17 kW. Two of the six systems are in the same location but use different transmission/distribution lines. While all of these projects are pico hydro projects, U Kyaw Lwin has also supported the development of a cluster of four community-owned micro hydro projects in the same sub-region.

Today, approximately 150 households are connected to the carefully planned pico hydro systems, out of the 167 households that make up Tat Gone village. Solar home systems provide lighting for some of the other households, and some families use both pico hydro and solar electricity. Additionally, the local school, temple and monastery are provided with free electricity from the pico hydro systems.

Bathing spot connected with Tat Gone pico hydro. Credit: Kyi Phyo Wai.

U Kyaw Lwin repairing pico hydro turbine. Credit: MEE Net (Myanmar Team).

Current and future benefits

The Tat Gone pico hydro systems have brought multifold benefits for community development. For instance, lighting enables students to study at night and extends the hours at which classes can be taught, with known benefits for learning outcomes. Moreover, the ability to power cell phones, televisions and radios provides access to vital information and communication channels – the importance of which is increasingly evident, as the COVID-19 crisis continues to unfold. Soon Tat Gone will also trial electric cooking options, to reduce deforestation linked with collection of fuelwood.

Although the government's central grid has reached nearby towns, Tat Gone village has not received the central grid. The village would have to raise funds for the final transmission and distribution lines. In addition, there is little certainty about the reliability of the central grid. As such, the pico hydro continues to remain a vital community asset, providing multiple benefits to each household at affordable cost.

Integrating conservation and energy access

The Tat Gone community has seen the direct impact of deforestation on the river, with water scarcity noticeably worsening from one summer to the next. U Kyaw Lwin saw the critical need to restore the watershed ecosystem, to preserve Tat Gone’s water source – not only for drinking water, food security, and irrigation, but also to safeguard the community’s electricity supply. With a keen understanding of the linkages between the forest watershed, water and energy, U Kyaw Lwin mobilized his community to leverage the interconnected benefits of pico hydropower and ecosystem restoration.

In the video linked above (People Power in Myanmar), Tat Gone elder, Daw Eain Myar, observes how deforestation was gradually drying up the river; the community therefore plants trees and protects the watershed ecosystem, in order to ensure consistent and sufficient water levels and flow rates, for reliable energy access.

U Kyaw Lwin inspecting pico hydro channel in Tat Gone. Credit: MEE Net (Myanmar Team).

U Kyaw Lwin also explains how the community cultivates and consumes forest products in a sustainable way. For instance, the community has a collectively agreed upon protocol for timber extraction, wherein two trees must be replanted for every one tree that’s cut down.

“Without water, there is not light – we cannot produce electricity. Only if we conserve the forest, we can retain water. So we really need to conserve our forest.” – U Kyaw Lwin

While U Kyaw Lwin certainly stands out as an inspiring conservation and micro hydro advocate, his efforts are not carried out in isolation, nor are the actions of his community. Danu communities all across the region have self-mobilized to safeguard their natural resources, and collaborate on large-scale, organized resource mapping and participatory research initiatives. For instance, in 2018, the Mekong Energy and Ecology Network (MEENet) held a gathering in Tat Gone, as part of a participatory research project, called the "Community-Owned Integrated Pan Long River Mountain Watershed Management". Many villages came together to collaborate on a Community Sustainable Environmental Assessment, mapping the forest, water and energy resources of the upper, middle and downstream communities along the Pan Long River. The communities continue to carry out environmental monitoring and work together to sustainably steward their ancestral lands in the face of present-day challenges.

Community Sustainable Environmental Assessment workshop in Tat Gone. Credit: MEE Net (Myanmar Team).

Survey of village micro-hydro in Tat Gone, Credit: MEE Net (Myanmar Team).

Map from Community Sustainable Environmental Assessment workshop in Tat Gone. Credit: MEE Net (Myanmar Team).

Bamboo pico hydro turbine. Credit: A. Khomsah et al. 2019.

Opportunities for locally-rooted, pro-environment pico hydropower

Among small-scale hydropower technologies, pico hydro (< 5 kW) tends to receive less attention and support, particularly as the cost of solar home lighting systems becomes competitive. Yet, we need only look at an example like Tat Gone to see the vast potential that pico hydro presents as a local, low-cost, high-impact solution.

A key advantage of pico hydropower is its low cost to sustain, long-term. Up-front costs are minimal, with little civil construction required, and there are no or few recurring costs, since there are no batteries to replace, nor complex technology. Moreover, pico hydro is easy to design, install and maintain, and doesn’t require formal education or training. Nearly all of the components can be fabricated or procured locally. When repairs are required, the simplicity of the system allows the community to be creative in using locally available material to rehabilitate the system.

In addition to its affordability, pico hydro is often favoured by rural practitioners due to its complementarity with environmental values and priorities. When integrated with watershed strengthening, pico hydro brings intersectional benefits for social-ecological well-being and resilience. In Myanmar and other countries across the region, we have seen indigenous practitioners consistently prioritize healthy watersheds, ensuring reliable energy supply, as well as sustainable community development.

Moreover, with appropriate load management, pico hydro systems can power more than household lighting loads. They can be used to power village-scale grain mills and other small machines to reduce physical drudgery and set up local enterprise.

Examples of successful, locally developed pico hydro can be seen all over the world. For instance, in addition to Myanmar, pico hydro also has had a long history in Laos, Vietnam, and India,. There continue to be unelectrified regions with untapped pico hydro potential. With support from WISIONS, HPNET members have collaborated through knowledge exchange activities, to continue advancing pico hydro throughout South and Southeast Asia.

Moving forward

As we navigate a path toward sustainable development and environmental resilience, it is clear that much can be learned from pico hydro, and the locally-rooted practitioners who have championed it across the global South. Moving forward into the Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, let us uplift, and learn from, indigenous communities like Tat Gone, that are advancing nature-based solutions for the benefit of their people and our collective future.

Stay tuned for the Burmese translation of this article, coming soon!

Composed by Lara Powell, HPNET Communications Coordinator
With content from:
U Kyaw Lwin, Pico Hydro and Reforestation Practitioner of Danu
U Kyi Phyo Wai, Founder of Foundation for Renewable Energy and Ecology (FREE)
Dipti Vaghela, HPNET Manager

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LOCAL CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT THROUGH TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER: TURGO TURBINE IN NEPAL

7/1/2020

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Introduction

Nepal is a country full of mountains and hills. Access to the electricity grid has always been a difficult task due to difficult terrains and cost involved. Thanks to its abundant water resources, support from development partners and government policy, micro hydropower technology was introduced nearly fifty years ago in Nepal. Today more than 30,000 hydro stations with an installed capacity less than 999 kW have been installed in the country generating more than 30 MW of electricity, which provides electricity access to more than 300,000 households. Most of them were implemented under a unique model of rural electrification where the rural communities were put in charge of constructing, owning and managing hydropower plants with the government of Nepal and many I/NGOs providing subsidy and technical support.

Nepal is considered as one of the best examples in the field of micro hydropower development. This sector is able to draw global attention. Today, Nepal can share its best practices, and lessons learnt on how capacity can be built in rural communities without access to electricity to own, build and run their own mini-grid systems. Through this, Nepal has developed an excellent working experience in micro hydropower plants which contributes to the national economy and community livelihoods. However, development of the technology has not moved forward since its introduction.

A brief on MHP manufacturing in Nepal

Today, more than 80% of installed turbines in Nepal are either Crossflow or Pelton. Both the technologies were introduced in Nepal in the early 1970's. The Crossflow turbine was first manufactured in Balaju Yantra Shala Pvt. Ltd. The Pelton turbine was introduced by Butwal Technical Institute. These two companies were the pioneering companies working in the promotion of micro hydro in Nepal where the Swiss and German aid programs were crucial in the development of the sector in Nepal. BYS and BTI were not only manufacturing the technology but also training people to develop in country capabilities. The trained human resources later started opening their own manufacturing facility in different locations in Nepal. They started product supply, installation, and maintenance services to abroad. We have been reaping benefits of the approaches that we learned in the early 70's, but there were few attempts to introduce new technology in Nepal and support Nepali manufacturers to develop new turbine designs locally. Further, decades of manufacturing of the same types of turbines has saturated the turbine market and some of the manufacturers wish to diversify their capacity but have not been able to do that on their own.

Technology transfer through a unique model

Research at the University of Bristol showed that the Turgo turbine would be a suitable design for Nepali contexts, fitting between the Pelton and Crossflow offerings and able to deal with the high silt content in Nepali rivers. Nepal Yantra Shala Energy (NYSE), a micro hydro manufacturing company in Kathmandu with an experience of more than 50 years in MHP had already observed the need for Turgo turbines in their manufacturing list. However, they were unsure how to progress the idea. They had purchased one small sized Turgo turbine set and kept it in their workshop. PEEDA has been working in the field of energy access, capacity development and research for 20 years. Turbine Testing Lab at Kathmandu University provides the facilities to test turbines across a range of power outputs. These 4 institutions joined forces to form a team to develop Nepal's capacity to manufacture the Turgo turbine locally. The year 2018/19 was spent working on the design, manufacturing and testing of the Turgo turbine at a Pico scale.

Experimental testing rig. Credit: PEEDA.

Advantages of the Turgo Turbine

Water enters through top of the turbine runner and exits through bottom, leading to less interference between incoming and exiting water flow.
Allows a larger flow for same size runner or a smaller runner for same power output.
Able to operate over wide range of heads and flows efficiently.
The Turgo fills the gap where the head is too high for Crossflow turbine, requiring the runner to be narrow, and where the head is too low for Pelton turbine, requiring a physically large runner rotating slowly.

Turbine application chart. Credit: PEEDA.

The unit has been installed in Naubise, Dhading which is about 22 km from Kathmandu Valley. This unit is available for anyone interested to see it in operation.

To introduce a new micro hydropower technology to Nepal, it was important to understand the capability of micro hydro companies and the manufacturing processes that are available. This information can be used to ensure that the design of all components for a new type of turbine is appropriate for manufacture in the context of Nepal. A thorough study was conducted of the Nepali manufacturing companies which are based in Kathmandu and Butwal, central Nepal. Our study showed that manufacturers in Nepal tend to have access to the same equipment and materials, meaning that the processes for fabricating Turgo turbines tends to be very similar. However, as casting is an external process, the interface between the micro hydro companies and casting companies is a potential risk to the quality and accuracy of the Turgo cups.

Next Steps

The next steps for the project are to increase the technology readiness level of the Turgo turbine in Nepal. This will enable manufacturers to be equipped with all of the necessary information to design, manufacture and install Turgo turbines. A joint effort of all the partners, including HPNET, will be facilitated to improve technology readiness. There are two parts to this future research:

Workshop on Turgo Design and Manufacture

This workshop will provide the information needed for key stakeholders to be able to identify potential sites for the Turgo turbine, size and design the turbine system, manufacture the Turgo runner, and install and test the system. Both theoretical and practical support will be delivered in the workshop to ensure that a good understanding of the turbine is developed in the Nepalese micro hydropower manufacturing community.

Open-Source Repository of Turgo Turbine System Design and Webinar

The scalable tools and drawings for the Turgo turbine will be placed in an open and free web-based repository, enabling access for any stakeholder that is interested in the Turgo turbine. This will allow micro-hydropower manufacturers, in Nepal and worldwide, access to the necessary details to construct a complete Turgo turbine system. Alongside the drawings, guides will be developed to enable the knowledge generated from both projects to be shared with the audience, for example key constraints in casting Turgo cups, jigs required to assemble the runner, and how to select an appropriate site for the turbine.
The project team will also install a micro hydropower scale Turgo turbine at a site to demonstrate its potential for the future. With these plans in place, we hope the future for the Turgo turbine in Nepal is bright!

Turgo project near Kathmandu. Credit: PEEDA.

This article was written by guest blogger and HPNET Board of Representatives Member, Biraj Gautam, who is the Research Team Leader of the project and Chief Executive Officer at People, Energy and Environment Development Association (PEEDA) in Kathmandu, Nepal.

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WATCH: STREAMSIDE CHATS - EDITION 1, RECOVERY & RESILIENCE

6/30/2020

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Introducing: StreamSide Chats

We’re excited to announce the launch of a new video podcast series: StreamSide Chats! Through this platform we’ll chat with experienced practitioners about the ins and outs of small-scale hydropower and its wide-reaching implications for community empowerment. Join us, as we discuss technology, policy, environment, social impact and other multifaceted aspects of energy access and community-scale hydropower. StreamSide Chats brings together grassroots innovators and international experts, providing firsthand insights from the field, framed within broader, multi-country and multi-thematic analysis.

Edition 1: “Recovery and Resilience” - PART 1

Our first StreamSide Chat kicks off the series with a timely discussion of the centrality of energy access to an inclusive COVID-19 recovery, and the role of micro/mini hydropower in building back more resilient systems. HPNET manager, Dipti Vaghela, chats with decentralized renewable energy specialist, Divyam Nagpal, who shares his thoughts on shaping long-term recovery and resilience through the lens of energy access. The Chat highlights the need to rethink the way we measure impact -- to prioritize long-term objectives and support local actors.

Edition 1: “Recovery and Resilience” - PART 2

In Part 2, Director of Clean Energy at Winrock International, Bikash Pandey, joins the discussion, bringing three decades of experience in policy review, program design and implementation across all decentralized renewable energy (DRE) technologies. We chat about the missed opportunity of micro/mini hydropower as the mini-grid underdog, and best practices for supporting resilient, high social impact solutions providing lessons for the rural economic recovery needed ahead.

Join the discussion!

How do you think COVID-19 recovery and resilience can be shaped from the lens of energy access?
What barriers prevent us from shifting from kilowatts to social impact?

Over the next few days, we’ll be posting these questions and more, in our post-Chat social media forum. Share your insights on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

Twitter - @HPNEThydro
Facebook - @hydroempowerment
LinkedIn - Hydro Empowerment Network (HPNET)

In case you missed it

Earlier this year we released a new video, providing a glimpse of how local micro/mini hydro practitioners collaborate with off-grid communities to advance sustainable development.

Check it out, to better understand small-scale hydro, “the underdog” of decentralized renewables, and its proven long-term socioeconomic benefits.

WATCH: Who Are We: The Hydro Empowerment Network (HPNET)

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SIBAT MICRO HYDRO UPGRADE IN DULAO, ABRA, PHILIPPINES

6/25/2020

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SIBAT is a Filipino network and people’s organization advancing community-based renewable energy applications, sustainable agriculture techniques, and water access solutions. We continue to be impressed by SIBAT’s highly integrated, community-based approach to clean energy access, which provides valuable lessons for the sector when it comes to achieving sustainability and socioeconomic impact.

Barangay Dulao Micro Hydro Project

SIBAT’s programs have been severely hindered by movement restrictions and other challenges imposed by the COVID-19 crisis, as has been the case for the vast majority of HPNET’s partner organizations and members. However, with many promising initiatives in the works, the SIBAT team hopes to resume regular operations before long, to commence new activities and resume various ongoing projects.

A significant ongoing initiative is a project led by SIBAT in cooperation with Misereor, to upgrade the micro hydro system of Barangay Dulao, Malibcong Abra. The remote, indigenous community of Barangay Dulao is a 6 hour drive from the nearest town of Bangued, and predominantly consists of rice farmers. Installed in 1995, the Barangay Dulao micro hydro project (MHP) was the first community-based renewable energy system in the province. Construction of the initial system was led by the late SIBAT consultant, Chris Alfonzo, with support from De La Salle University. Running on a 10kW crossflow turbine, the MHP provides 100% coverage in the Barangay, providing electricity to 67 households, a school, a church and a hydro-powered rice mill.

A Community-Based Approach

The Barangay Dulao MHP was implemented according to SIBAT’s participatory approach, with substantive community involvement. The local People’s Organization of Barangay Dulao owns, manages and sustains the system, self-organizing to harness the wide-reaching benefits of the MHP. In addition to powering household lighting, the micro hydro system powers food and crop processing, supporting household needs and expanding livelihood opportunities.

This video from SIBAT offers a glimpse of the community-based approach implemented in the Barangay Dulao system, which follows the approach of SIBAT’s broader Community-based Renewable Energy System (CBRES) program:

25 Years of Community-Based MHP in Abra

As the pioneer of micro hydro projects (MHPs) in Abra, the Barangay Dulao system served as a model which was later replicated in more than 10 barangays and sitios across the province. The MHP thus initiated a turning point for the indigenous people of Abra, bringing clean and reliable energy access with multifold benefits for community development. The micro hydro communities now have improved access to information via televisions and radio sets, students can extend their studies into evening hours, women’s burden is reduced with access to electric appliances, and income opportunities are expanded via MHP-powered livelihood activities.

The communities who own and manage the systems have collectively worked to maximize the socioeconomic returns of their local resources, with continuous technical support provided by SIBAT. The robust infrastructure and ongoing support offered by SIBAT is complemented by the community-based, participatory approach described above -- a combination that has proven its efficacy and impact in Abra over the past quarter-century.

System Upgrade

After 25 years of operation, the Barangay Dulao system is in need of repair and rehabilitation. The system currently operates 8 hours per week, with several downtimes due to lack of water and malfunctioning electromechanical components. Thus, the main objective of the upgrade is to provide stable power for 24 hours operation within a week, through the improvement of existing technical components.

The SIBAT team consulted the community People’s Organization (PO) regarding the technical needs of their MHP. The PO suggested: canal improvement, to mitigate downtimes by improving the efficiency of water entering the turbine; upgrading electromechanical components inside the powerhouse (e.g. upgrading generator capacity); and installing an electronic load controller (ELC) to regulate peak hour loads and produce reliable electricity that can accommodate more micro hydro-powered enterprises in the future.

The final plan for the MHP upgrade integrates the results of the community consultation and the findings of the SIBAT technical team. The project will facilitate improvements to civil, electro-mechanical, and mechanical components of the system, as well as installation of an ELC. SIBAT will lead the electro-mechanical and electrical components, and the community and Barangay LGU will lead the civil works. Implementation of the ELC will draw on expertise which the SIBAT team continues to expand and refine, including through collaboration with regional partners, such as their 2019 knowledge exchange with Tonibung, in Malaysia. The project team hopes to complete commissioning for the Dulao MHP upgrade this year.

See here for more information on SIBAT’s work advancing community-based, small-scale hydropower in the Philippines.

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the flow

HERE'S TO THE NEW YEAR!

SEEED: PRODUCTIVE END USE AND SOCIAL ENTERPRISE

ETHIOPIA: REVIVING AND OPTIMIZING HYDRO MINI-GRIDS

EARTH VOICES: FROM KALASH, PAKISTAN

MADAGASCAR: MICRO AND MINI HYDRO INITIATIVES OF THE ASSOCIATION DES INGÉNIEURS POUR LE DÉVELOPPEMENT DES ENERGIES RENOUVELABLES (AIDER)

"HIDDEN NO MORE": AN INTERVIEW WITH A MINI HYDRO SHAREHOLDER, HASANA FATIMI

WHY HYDRO MINI-GRIDS: TECHNOLOGY DIFFERENTIATION EXPLAINED

PROJECT UPDATE: UPSCALING LOCALLY MANUFACTURED TURGO TURBINE

INDIA: GRAM VIKAS' INITIATIVE TO STRENGTHEN SPRINGS

SPRINGS: NATURE'S BOUNTY FOR WATER SECURITY

EARTH VOICES: FROM LUKU WINGIR, INDONESIA

"HIDDEN NO MORE": AN INTERVIEW WITH IBEKA'S EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, TRI MUMPUNI

MEMBER PROFILE: NEPED HYDROGERS IN NE INDIA

INDONESIA: THE 100-YEAR OLD SALIDO-KECIL MINI HYDRO PROJECT

WHY WATERSHEDS MATTER

MICRO HYDRO UPDATE FROM CAMEROON

MANAGEMENT APPROACHES FOR SUSTAINABLE HYDRO MINI-GRIDS

MALAYSIA: OPERATORS TRAINING FOR THE KOBULU MICRO HYDRO PROJECT

FROM STAND-ALONE SYSTEM TO DISTRIBUTED GENERATION: GRID INTERCONNECTIVITY IN NEPAL

MICRO HYDRO TOOLKIT UPDATE: NEW VIDEOS

RELIABLE MICRO & PICO HYDRO WITHSTAND THE TEST OF TIME IN SRI LANKA

WHY MANUFACTURING STANDARDS MATTER

EARTH VOICES: FROM TAT GONE, MYANMAR

LOCAL CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT THROUGH TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER: TURGO TURBINE IN NEPAL

WATCH: STREAMSIDE CHATS - EDITION 1, RECOVERY & RESILIENCE

SIBAT MICRO HYDRO UPGRADE IN DULAO, ABRA, PHILIPPINES

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