Abstract
In arid and semi-arid parts of the world, river exploitation is intensive, involving water storage for irrigation or hydropower generation. In Greece, 100 small hydropower plants (SHPs) take advantage of less than 10% of the hydropower potential of low flow streams (<2 m3/s), a very small amount in relation to the 70% of the European Union. The energy policy of complete decarbonization of the country by 2023 on a national scale opens the road for new investments in SHP projects, especially in intermittent-flow streams of the Greek islands. Simulated flows by the Modello Idrologico SemiDistribuito in continuo (MISDc model) are used to construct the annual flow duration curve (FDC) to study and assess the hydropower potential of an intermittent stream (Tsiknias river, Lesvos, Greece). For Tsiknias River, but also for six other intermittent-flow rivers of Crete island, the capacity factor (CF), which represents the mean annual power of the hydropower plant, should remain >75% to exploit the river’s potential. The FDC and CF are essential in designing SHP projects in intermittent-flow streams with long no-flow periods. The development of public participatory approaches and a closer cooperation among policy makers and stakeholders should work to promote hydropower exploitation and accelerate licensing procedures.
Highlights
Climate change (CC) is expected to significantly decrease annual rainfall in the Mediterranean region [1,2,3], as increase in surface temperature is expected through the end of this century
The flow duration curve (FDC) and capacity factor (CF) are essential in designing small hydropower plants (SHPs) projects in intermittent-flow streams with long no-flow periods
Public Power Corporation (PPC) Hellas and public power corporation (PPC) Renewables, have been responsible for the development of large hydroelectric projects (HEPs) (15 units) and SHPs (17 units) with a total power output of more than 3.4 GW with an average annual production equal to 5.3TWh, while the total useful reservoir volume is equal to 5.7 billion cubic meters
Summary
Climate change (CC) is expected to significantly decrease annual rainfall in the Mediterranean region [1,2,3], as increase in surface temperature is expected through the end of this century. Projections by the fifth iteration of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) point towards a “likely to very likely” decrease in precipitation over the Mediterranean by 30–45%, especially if temperature rises by 1.4 ◦ C [4,5]. IPCC further projects that over the coming years, meteorological droughts and floods in the region will increase in intensity and frequency, seriously altering the ecological and hydrological patterns of the rivers and streams. Intermittent-flow streams experience dry phases following a natural, periodical pattern and cover almost 30% of the total length of rivers at global scale [7]. In the 19 European countries, the terrestrial area covered by intermittent streams of known hydrological regime (due to existing gauging stations) reaches
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
