bsk naidu assignment

7/31/2019 Bsk Naidu Assignment

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Ans1)According to the statistics by Census of India, 2001, of the country's total population

27.8% lives in urban centres where as 72.20% lives in rural India, which comprises of

638,596 traditional villages. Even today, 80,000 villages in India have never been

electrified. Even the electrified villages suffer from scanty power supply. The situation is in

need of urgent solution. Even the government admits that decentralized renewable

energy solutions have to be deployed in large numbers in rural areas to provide the last

mile connectivity for un-electrified areas India is a country where the existing

Constitutional provisions and legislation do not provide an appropriate framework to deal

with water sharing issues between states, sectors and individuals.

In India Pumped storage scheme should be used as this method

produces electricity to supply high peak demands by moving water between reservoirs

at different elevations. At times of low electrical demand, excess generation capacity is

used to pump water into the higher reservoir. When there is higher demand, water is

released back into the lower reservoir through a turbine. Pumped-storage schemes

currently provide the most commercially important means of large-scale grid energy

storage and improve the daily capacity factor of the generation system. As Indian power

sector is the energy shortage as well as peaking shortage. Energy shortage has been

reported as 7% and peaking shortage as 10.7 %. The gap in demand and supply in

electricity and non-stable demand of electricity is a big concern in the Indian power

sector.

Ans 2) Factors which help hydro in terms of economy in comparison to other sources of

generation of power are as follows-

Hydro Plant will require longer gestation period (8-10) years from inception to

commissioning period. Hence a developer can enjoy a longer tax holidays

Plant can produce excess generation of up to 15% of the Installed Capacity of the

project.

The advantage of capital structure is higher the debt portion, higher will be the

returns.

The secondary returns of Hydro are more which is a favorable factor is again.

The Demand Supply gap is more in India and hence leads to higher merchant rates

therefore favors higher returns.

Hence Hydro power is a promising technology for national economy.
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COMPARISON WITH CONVENTIONAL RESOURCES:

PARAMETERS COAL NATURAL GAS HYDRO

CAPITAL COST(Crore/ MW) 4-5.5 4-5 7-8

COST OF GENERATION (Rs/

KWh)

3.5-4.5 4-5 3-4

PROJECT LIFE (years) 25 15 60

GESTATION PERIOD(years) 4 3 5-6

OPERATING COST High High Low

RISK High High Low

TECHNOLOGY Changing Changing MatureSITE INFLUENCE Low Low High

DECOMMISIONING COST High High Low

LEVELLISED COST OF

GENERATION/ KWh

4.00 3.5 3.00

COMPARISON WITH RENEWABLE RESOURCES:

PARAMETERS SOLAR WIND BIO FUEL HYDRO

CAPITAL COST(Crore/ MW) 10-12 5-6 5.5-6.5 7-8

COST OF GENERATION (Rs/

KWh)

10-12 4.5-6 5-6 3-4

PROJECT LIFE (years) 25 25 30 60

GESTATION PERIOD(years) 3-4 2-4 4-5 5-6

OPERATING COST High Medium High Low

RISK Low Medium Low Low

TECHNOLOGY Changing Semi Mature Changing Mature

SITE INFLUENCE High Low Low High

DECOMMISIONING COST High Low High Low

LEVELLISED COST OF

GENERATION/ KWh

12 5.5 5 3.00


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Ans3)

a) The major advantage of hydroelectricity is elimination of the cost of fuel. The cost of

operating a hydroelectric plant is nearly immune to increases in the cost of fossil

fuels such as oil, natural gas or coal, and no imports are needed. Hydroelectric plants

have long economic lives, with some plants still in service after 50100 years.

Operating labor cost is also usually low, as plants are automated and have few

personnel on site during normal operation. Where a dam serves multiple purposes, a

hydroelectric plant may be added with relatively low construction cost, providing a

useful revenue to offset the costs of dam operation. Since hydro electricity has

helped in various activities like irrigation it had caused development of the various

small industries as well.

b) Besides inundating large tracts of forest ,killing off local wildlife, the dams have the

effect of destroying aquatic habitats and affecting fish populations, displacing

indigenous peoples, and adding carbon to the atmosphere (as the submerged woodrots). On top of the ecological damage, several projects have silted up from the

erosion resulting from deforestation, rendering the dams inefficient. The reduced

water flow downstream disturbs riverbeds and affects floodplain farmers who rely on

seasonal floods for nutrients to enrich the soil and kill pests. Thus they may turn to

pesticides and artificial fertilizers which have their own negative environmental

effects. Deltas experience a greater influx of salt water, affecting coastal ecosystems

essential to fisheries. Hydroelectric projects are also of concern from a health

standpoint because they provide opportunities for the spread of disease-carrying

organisms including snails (schistosomiasis/bilharzia) and mosquitoes (dengue fever,

yellow fever, malaria). Other issues like reservoirs of power plants in tropical regions

may produce substantial amounts of methane. This is due to plant material in flooded

areas decaying in an anaerobic environment, and forming methane, a potent

greenhouse gas.

c) The Major concern about the grid operations is grid instability due to frequency

fluctuations. i.e Optimum Grid stability must be maintained between 49.5 MHz and

50MHz. for stable grid operations. In case if a power plants output frequency is more
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than the optimum level, it has to adjust itself to grid requirements. The response time

of Hydro power plant is very small (less than 1 minute) when compared with thermal

power plants (30 minutes- 2 time blocks). Hence hydro acts as a buffer to grid

stability. No extra cost is required to rise the generation for peak demand as hydro is

fuel cost free. Hence it helps in Grid economy.

d) One of the biggest advantage of Hydro is that it not effected by inflation.Where as

other sources of power generation such as oil and gas,thermal power,or any other

renewable power generation technology is highly effected by the rate of increase in

the market price, and are prone for becoming costly at the time of inflation.Hydro on

the other hand is resistant to inflation.

e) Hydro is of negligible risk when compared with Nuclear power plants as there is no

hazardous radioactive emissions. When compared with thermal power plants, it has

a slight disturbance as concern with environmental clearance, deforestation,

relocation of large volume of people etc. Due to incur of huge capital cost these risks

can be avoided if proper planning and detailed surveying is done.

f) The pumped-storage hydroelectric plant, is designed to help meet peak power

demands during the day. Electrical generators are turned by water flowing from a

reservoir on top of Mountain into a lower reservoir on the River. The generators and

turbines at river level are reversible, and at low load the excess electricity available

on the power grid is used to pump water back to the mountaintop.

g) Hydro power generation does not require very high technology so our country dont

have to import any equipments and machines from other countries. Once the small

hydro or the large hydro dam is constructed it operates for several years without any

upgradation in technology.

h) The water that is stored for hydroelectricity also helps in water management. The

benefits are

Storage of water for draught periods,

Release of water only during irrigation periods helps in optimum utilisation of waterresources.

The water released for irrigation is also used for drinking purposes in nearby areas.

The construction of dams also helps to develop tourism and can be encouraged to

recreational activities.

i) Hydro energy is a clean energy which releases almost negligible carbon to the

atmosphere. But while manufacturing the equipment and construction of dams certain

amount of carbon will be released to the atmosphere. It will become neutralised when hydro
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projects start to generate power. It will also neutralise the carbon produced by other

conventional energy resources. Hence Hydro acts as a carbon neutralize.

j) Energy is Required to Make Use of Water and Water is Needed to Make Use of

Energy,this relation is known as water energy nexus. The connection between most energyand water is that water is used to make steam, which spins a turbine, which runs a

generator, which creates electricity.Different types of electricity generation require differing

amounts of water.

Ans.4)If a 210 MW thermal plant is renovated,its derated capacity may be retrieved to 210

MW by itself.But if a 210 MW Hydro Plant is renovated,it can be uprated to 250 MW by

permitting higher water velocity levels and hence higher discharge from the same turbine

passage, with advancements in Hydrodynamics and Material Technology.

Ans.5) The positive environmental impacts of Hydro projects as follows:

Uses renewable and pollution free source i.e water

Increase in Agriculture Productivity through development of irrigation and

multipurpose schemes, having generation of electricity as one of the objectives,

wherever possible and feasible.

Avoided Green House Gas (GHG) emissions from equivalent thermal and other fuel

based power projects.

Involve large scale afforestation activities under various schemes like Compensatory

Afforestation, Catchment Area Treatment, Green Belt Development, Voluntary

Afforestation etc. which ultimately improve the environmental quality of the project

area.

Flood Mitigation through large storage dams.

Source of Drinking Water.

Ans6)Small Hydro project has the following advantages:-

It is potential source of power generation, harnessing only gravitational potential of

water to make it yield energy in a continuum.

Its a proven technology available in the country with very high prime moving and

generation efficiencies for their development. These are least dependent on imports
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as indigenous technology is available. Setting up small hydro does not require any

special geological contribution/ ground conditions.

Short gestation period which leads to quicker electricity.

Small Hydro are environmentally friendlier than conventional hydro plants.

Non-involvement of setting up of large dams and thus not associated with problems

of deforestation, submergence or rehabilitation.

Non- polluting & environmentally friendly.

Least impact on Flora and fauna (aquatic and terrestrial) and bio-diversity.

It serves to enhance economic development and living standards especially in

remote areas with limited or no electricity at all.

It can be tapped wherever water flows along small streams, medium to small rivers,

irrigation dam-toe/ canal drop sites etc. Low investment is required which can easily be affordable by private

entrepreneurs.These projects also suit to private entrepreneur due to short gestation

period, quicker returns and cheapest operating costs due to low overheads.

It facilitates rural mass who have been able to manage to switchover from firewood

for cooking to electricity and thereby checking to deforestation.

Small hydro is significant for off-grid, rural, remote area applications in far flung

isolated communities having no chances of grid extension for years to come. Small

Hydro is operationally flexible, suitable for peaking support to the local grid as well as

for stand alone applications in isolated remote areas.

With the development of small hydro, rural communities have been able to attract

new industries, mostly related to agriculture owing to their ability to draw power from

SHP stations and ultimately resulting in the development in the area.

Small hydro does not require much expertise to build and operate. Components of

small hydro projects are so simple and fairly visible at site distinctively that they can

become centre of education, local masses can themselves manage it.

Capital investment is less in compared to others scheme such as thermal as well as

big hydro.

On the basis of project life cycle cost in real terms, inflation- free small hydro

Becomes several times cheaper than thermal option due to cheaper operational cost

and zero cost input.

Under Kyoto Protocol, the Small Hydro Project can earn extra revenue through Clean

Development Mechanism (CDM).

REASONS UNFAVOURING LARGE HYDRO


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Due to the longer Gestation Period, Politicians wont support Large Hydro, as they

want the Hydro plant to be commissioned within when they are in power as to take

the credits.

Due to Large occupancy of land, there is a need to relocate number of people to

construct a large dam. Hence it is not politically viable.

Due to construction of Dam, there would be some clearing of forest resources. Hence

there is a huge barricade in the name of environmental clearances and forest

clearances.

Due to the recent Inter-state water sharing issues, construction of dams will not be

welcomed by the people.

Due to environmental claim for methane emission, Large hydro still remains as a

mystery to non-technical people.

Lack of Private participation because of longer gestation period and other issues.

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