Options Analysis for the Use of Solar Generation Systems on the Territory of Hydropower Plants

In this article the options for the useful use of the area of hydraulic structures and the adjacent territory of hydropower plants in order to accommodate photovoltaic panels are analyzed. The own needs of the hydropower plant are the main consumer of power for photo panels. Potentially accessible places for installation of photo panels are considered on the example of the Ust-Kamenogorsk hydropower plant. The principles and criteria for preliminary screening are formulated on the basis of a qualitative analysis of options for placing photo panels. A quantitative analysis of the technical potential of solar radiation and an assessment of the degree of coverage of the hydropower plant's own needs with the help of photo panels over the annual interval were made. Based on the results obtained, recommendations were formulated for the optimal location of photovoltaic panels on the territory of a hydroelectric power plant, in particular, on its hydraulic structures.