Abstract
Hydropower depends on the elevation head and water flow of a river. However, other factors must be considered, such as the risk associated with surface processes and environmental factors. The study aims to analyze a landscape’s dynamics and locate potential sites for small-scale hydropower systems (<10 MW) using a geographic information system, the curve number method, and the TopoToolbox with a digital elevation model and available spatial datasets. Across Bohol Island in the central Philippines, the study found 94 potential sites with hydraulic heads ranging from 20–62.4 m, river discharges between 0.02 to 9.71 m3/s, and a total hydropower capacity of 13.595 MW. The river profile analysis classified the sites to five levels of risk to geo-hazards, with three-fourths of the sites being at ‘high’ to ‘very high’ risk levels while more than 50% of the total power can be generated in ‘low’ risk areas. Land-use and population constraints reduced the sites to 25 and the hydropower capacity by 60%. Although limited to the table assessment phase of hydropower development, the study showed the potential of small-scale hydropower systems in the study area, their spatial distribution, and the risk associated with each site. The study results provided data-limited resource managers’ and energy planners’ insights in targeting potential locations and minimizing field investigation costs and time.
Highlights
The increasing environmental issues associated with fossil-based energy production, depleting sources, and increasing energy demand have led to intensifying use, development, and exploration of alternative renewable energy resources [1,2,3]
There are nine sites located along the main trunk of the Loboc Watershed, which already hosts the three existing hydropower plants
The potential sites are located at distances of more than 500 m from the existing hydropower plants
Summary
The increasing environmental issues associated with fossil-based energy production, depleting sources, and increasing energy demand have led to intensifying use, development, and exploration of alternative renewable energy resources [1,2,3]. Hydropower is one of the world’s renewable energy resources. One of the notable features of hydropower sources, especially the small-scale systems (SHP), is the lesser greenhouse gas emission [1,5,6]. The run-of-river small hydropower has become more cost-effective than mini-grids powered by diesel gen-sets due to falling energy costs [7]. The SHPs supported rural development in many developing countries in Asia and Africa [8]. Such systems helped improve remote areas’ productivity and contributed directly to the development of women by powering small agro-industries usually performed by hand and almost entirely by women [8]
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