Optimal planning of generating units over micro-hydro resources within a catchment area

This work presents an approach by which multiple microscale hydro generating units can be planned over a catchment area consisting of several potential installation sites so as to extract the maximum possible energy per-unit investment cost. With a pre-decided overall charge rate, this would, in turn, determine the annual payback of levelized installation costs. The method leads to a choice of turbine type for each site, setting its optimal head, flow, and power output. Part-flow conditions are accommodated through the respective site hydrographs. A suitable case study involving 16 potential sites, adapted from the upper Ganga basin located in Northern India, is finally presented as an illustrative example.