Hydropower In India Research Articles

Violent transitions: towards a political ecology of coal and hydropower in India

ABSTRACT The concept of just transition is often defined as a process of including particular kinds of fossil fuel workers in the transition towards low-carbon energy. Missing from such liberal framings of just transitions is an engagement with how the extraction of both fossil fuels and low-carbon energy is contingent upon state violence and the expropriation of Indigenous and frontline communities’ lands. In contrast to liberal framings of just transition that focus on the inclusion of fossil fuel workers as stakeholders, this article calls for an investigation of ‘violent transitions’, which refers to the ways in which the expansion of fossil fuel and low-carbon energy infrastructures are predicated upon direct state-sanctioned violence – including the criminalization of dissent, protests, and mass mobilization through police violence and arrests – to facilitate processes of land expropriation. Drawing upon a comparative analysis of 121 coal and hydropower projects in India, the article argues that both coal and hydropower energy transitions are characterized by significant state-sanctioned violence. Such historical injustices must be redressed and repaired in India’s emergent just transition policy frameworks.

Scenario of Small Hydro Power Plant (SHP) in India and Effects on Climate Change: An Eco-friendly Approach Towards Sustainability

Water is the crucial asset to help all shape life on earth. Tragically it isn’t uniformly conveyed over the world via season or area. Hydroelectricity is the term alluding to power created by hydropower, the creation of electrical force using the gravitational power of falling and streaming water. It is most broadly utilized type of sustainable power source. Once the hydro electric complex is developed, the item delivers no immediate waste. Hydroelectricity produces 16.6% of the word electricity, and accounted for about 70% of electricity from renewable source in 2015 and was expected to increase by about 3.1% each year for the next 25 years [1]. The annual hydroelectric production of India is 122.31 TWh while installed capacity is 43.8 GW. The national electric grid in India has an installed capacity of 368.79 GW as of 31 December 2019. The hydropower contributes 25%. [2]. In India, hydropower ventures with a station limit of up to 25 MW each fall under the class of little hydropower (SHP). India has an expected SHP capability of around 16000 MW, of which about 18.5% has been tapped so far for example 2960 MW. Service of MNRE has made a database of potential locales of little hydro and 5,718 potential destinations with a total limit of 15384.15 MW for ventures up to 25 MW limit have been distinguished as on 2019. Environmental change has suggestions for both human and characteristic frameworks and could prompt critical changes in asset use creation and monetary action. Because of the effect and potential effects of environmental change universal, local, national and neighbourhood activities are being created and executed to constrain and moderate GHGs fixation in the Earth’s climate. The worldwide worry for reasonable improvement and environmental change has brought grouping of vitality strategy creators towards the sustainable power sources since these give vitality, without emanations of ozone depleting substances (GHGs) and are additionally plentiful asset accessible for future. In the present paper an endeavour has been made to depict the potential and use of little hydropower in India for the practical advancement of the nation.

External-Cost Estimation of Electricity Generation in G20 Countries: Case Study Using a Global Life-Cycle Impact-Assessment Method

The external costs derived from the environmental impacts of electricity generation can be significant and should not be underrated, as their consideration can be useful to establish a ranking between different electricity generation sources to inform decision-makers. The aim of this research is to transparently evaluate the recent external cost of electricity generation in G20 countries using a global life-cycle impact-assessment (LCIA) method: life cycle impact assessment method based on endpoint modeling (LIME3). The weighting factors developed in the LIME3 method for each G20 country enable one to convert the different environmental impacts (not only climate change and air pollution) resulting from the emissions and resources consumption during the full lifecycle of electricity generation—from resource extraction to electricity generation—into a monetary value. Moreover, in LIME3, not only the weighting factors are developed for each G20 country but also all the impact categories. Using this method, it was possible to determine accurately which resources or emission had an environmental impact in each country. This study shows that the countries relying heavily on coal, such as India (0.172 $/kWh) or Indonesia (0.135 $/kWh) have the highest external costs inside the G20, with air pollution and climate accounting together for more than 80% of the costs. In these two countries, the ratio of the external cost/market price was the highest in the G20, at 2.3 and 1.7, respectively. On the other hand, countries with a higher reliance on renewable energies, such as Canada (0.008 $/kWh) or Brazil (0.012 $/kWh) have lower induced costs. When comparing with the market price, it has to be noted also that for instance Canada is able to generate cheap electricity with a low-external cost. For most of the other G20 countries, this cost was estimated at between about 0.020$ and 0.040 $/kWh. By estimating the external cost of each electricity generation technology available in each G20 country, this study also highlighted that sometimes the external cost of the electricity generated from one specific technology can be significant even when using renewables due to resource scarcity—for example, the 0.068 $/kWh of electricity generated from hydropower in India. This information, missing from most previous studies, should not be omitted by decision makers when considering which type of electricity generation source to prioritize.

Geological Surprises: State Rationality and Himalayan Hydropower in India

Geological Surprises: State Rationality and Himalayan Hydropower in India

An overview of small hydro power development in India

India is a developing nation with 1.35 billion populations living in varied strata of living standards. Therefore, the energy demand is constantly increasing in an effort to accelerate industrial activities and boost the economy. The country mostly meets its electricity demand from fossil fuel. It has large generation capacity but in some remote and rural areas only 53% of the villages get electric supply for less than 12 hours a day. This is because of hilly and mountainous terrains especially in the north and north-eastern regions of the country and absence of utility grid owing to economic reasons. It is estimated that about 15% of country's population do not have access to electricity. With huge hydro potential in the country, especially in the Himalayan States, hydropower generation may be emphasized and pressed in to augment ever increasing energy demand. The emphasis should be on small hydropower (SHP) as construction of large hydropower involves huge capital cost and they are associated with various techno-economic and social issues. The article aims to provide important information for appropriate policy making in developing small hydropower in India.

Masculinities and hydropower in India: A feminist political ecology perspective

Mainstreaming gender in water governance through “how to do gender” toolkits has long been a development focus. It has been widely argued that such toolkits simplify the complex, nuanced realities of inequalities by gender in relation to water and fail to pay attention to the fact that the proposed users of such gender-water toolkits, i.e. mostly male water sector professionals, lack the skills, motivation and/or incentives to apply these toolkits in their everyday work. We adopt a feminist political ecology lens to analyse some of the barriers to reduce social inequalities in the management of global commons such as international rivers. Our findings highlight the leap of faith made in the belief that gender toolkits, as they exist, will filter through layers of a predominantly masculine institutional culture to enable change in ground realities of complex inequalities by gender. Analysing the everyday workings of two hydropower development organisations in India, we show how organisational structures demonstrate a blatant culture of masculinity. These two organisations, like many others, are sites where hierarchies and inequalities based on gender are produced, performed and reproduced. This performance of masculinity promotes and rewards a culture of technical pride in re-shaping nature, abiding by and maintaining hierarchy and demonstrating physical strength and emotional hardiness. In such a setting, paying attention to vulnerabilities, inequalities and disparities are incompatible objectives.

The political economy of electricity trade and hydropower development in eastern South Asia

ABSTRACT This article frames the political economy of electricity trade and hydropower development in eastern South Asia. It distils and analyzes four crucial variables in this regard: the health of distribution companies in India; the role of hydropower in India’s ambitious turn to renewable energy; Bangladesh’s power crisis and import dependency; and the governance of regional electricity trading arrangements. It argues that progress in both electricity trade and hydropower development in the region will be incremental in the next decade, hindered by mixed demand signals and the turbulence of geopolitics.

An environmental assessment of small hydropower in India: the real costs of dams’ construction under a life cycle perspective

In the last years, India has taken a number of initiatives to boost small hydropower development based on the assumption of being a green energy source with only limited disturbances on the social and natural environments. However, its real environmental performances have not been examined. The intention of this paper is to evaluate the potential environmental impacts of Small Hydropower Plants (SHPs) in India in light of their exemption from any Environmental Clearance procedures. A cradle-to-use analysis of a SHP planned on the Kavery River in India was carried out using the GaBi Software and the ISO 14040 guidelines. The CML 2001, LANCA, and the methods developed by Chaudhary et al. (2015) were applied to characterize the impacts. This paper goes beyond conventional LCA and the sustainability paradigm of GHG emissions, by including a comprehensive evaluation of the impacts from land use and land use change in terms of their effects on terrestrial and aquatic biodiversity, on ecosystem services and in terms of biogenic GHG emissions. Sensitivity analyses of how predefined parameters affect the performances of the dam were also carried out. Further, a distance-to-target weighting factor based on the concept of Carrying Capacity was applied. For the case study, depending on the impact category selected, the primary impacts are associated to the preconstruction, the construction, and the operation stages. These are the main contributors, in terms of impacts to ecosystem services, to biodiversity, and to global warming and eutrophication. As per material and energy inputs, concrete, steel, and electricity are the three dominating sources of impacts. The results of the sensitivity analysis suggest that the amount of organic matter washed into the reservoir as well as the plant output influence significantly the environmental performance of the dam. Based on the weighted results, Global Warming appears to be the most relevant impact with a relative contribution of 1.76E−14% to the Global Carrying Capacity threshold. The study shows the need to account for a broader spectrum of environmental categories when assessing SHPs, underpinned by the significant impacts to biodiversity and ecosystem services as evidenced by the application of land use indicators. This can have long lasting consequences on the stability of a functioning ecosystem and its ability to provide valuable services. It also shows the need to reconsider the exemption of SHPs from any environmental impact assessment procedure.

Review of Policies, Programs and Initiatives regarding Growth and Development of Hydropower in India with special reference to State of Uttarakhand

Review of Policies, Programs and Initiatives regarding Growth and Development of Hydropower in India with special reference to State of Uttarakhand

A Comprehensive Assessment of Small Hydro Power in India - Current Scenario and Future Potential

India is fortunate to have enormous hydro-electric power, standing fifth in the global market with regard to exploitable hydro-potential. For employment of rural communities and to reduce global warming, small hydropower (SHP) is an apt renewable energy resource for generating electricity. This review demonstrates the present capacity of small hydro power instated across various states and its progression in India. The SHP’s actualization as a renewable energy source is impeded by challenges in meeting the energy demand, providing clarity in public–private partnerships and exploiting the untapped potential. The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy Resources (MNRE) says that the promotion of small hydropower is the important area for generating grid quality power. In spite of SHP witnessing considerable growth recently, we are yet to exploit about three-quarters of the total identified potential of 20,000Mega Watts(MW). India has to take serious steps to speed up the development of small hydropower, as it is important to mitigate poverty in rural and remote areas, by providing employment opportunities.

Silt Erosion in Hydro Turbines and Status of Small Hydropower in India - A Review

Silt Erosion in Hydro Turbines and Status of Small Hydropower in India - A Review

A review of present status and potential of hydro power in India

A review of present status and potential of hydro power in India

Evaluation of Rubber Dams for SHP in India

India is blessed with great Himalayas as well as hilly areas in peninsular and central areas providing opportunity for hydro power at all scale including Small Hydropower (SHP) development. Water is diverted from the streams for hydro power generation using suitable diversion structures. Conventional types of raised-crest weirs are not well suited for hill streams having steep slopes and boulder movement during floods. Inflatable dam or also known as rubber dam is one type of diversion structure to control and regulate the water for power generation.The experience of inflatable dams in India is very limited even though worldwide over 4,000 installations exist and more than 10 manufacturers offer this type of weir. There are only three installations so far used for irrigation or municipal purposes and not a single rubber dam for hydropower projects in India. For selecting a suitable diversion structure, economic and technical aspects are to be carefully considered. Different types of diversion weirs including rubber dam used for diverting water for Small Hydropower (SHP) projects are studied and presented. The design of diversion weir depends on the quantity of water withdrawal and width of stream. This study is an attempt to study the rubber dam technology for Small Hydropower in India. Five different sites were selected for the present study. Rubber dam was also compared with conventional raised gravity weir, trench weir (Tyrolean), bush and boulder weir and “mathu bund” (a local name). The life cycle of these different types of weirs for same hydraulic conditions and for different discharge were computed and compared with that of imported rubber dam as well as Indian rubber dam. The cost of rubber dam was estimated based on personal communications with the experts of manufacturers and practitioners of the subject area, as well as case studies of already constructed rubber dams in India installed for purposes other than hydropower. Operation and maintenance cost and different losses on account of head, water loss and repair were taken into account for different types of weirs for calculating life cycle cost. Possible damage that may be caused by major flood for different types of weir was also calculated monetarily in terms of power loss. The ease of inflation and deflation reduces the flood damage cost, O & M cost, sediment removal cost and repair work cost. With the comparative analysis, it is found that average life cycle cost of raised gravity weir, bush and boulder, mathu bund and trench weir (Tyrolean), is 2,3, 5 and 6 times respectively more than imported rubber dam. Life cycle cost of Indian rubber dam and average life cycle cost of imported rubber dam is about three times more than Indian rubber dam. It is recommended to use inflated weir in Small Hydropower projects being cost effective and energy efficient.

Small Hydro Power in India: Is it a sustainable business?

Abstract Small Hydro Power (SHP) is one of the most important renewable energy generation sources. It is a cost-effective technology that is being used for rural electrification in the developing countries including India. The Indian government is providing attractive initiatives to the private investors to promote faster development of SHP. Until now, a lot has been written about assessment, potential, advantages and the technical aspects of the SHP plants. However, the important business sustainability perspective has not been yet subjected to empirical analysis. Sustainable development involves three interconnected dimensions: social, economic and environmental sustainability. This paper attempts to investigate whether SHP business in India is a sustainable business. The study is based on the analysis of qualitative data acquired through 28 in-depth interviews with various actors that are connected to the SHP industry in India which include Independent Power Producers (IPPs), manufacturers, designers, consultants and representatives of various government organizations. The empirical material was collected in four states of India namely New Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) in February, 2013. The data was acquired by individual in-depth interviews, group discussions and direct observation of one SHP plant. The results show that all the three dimensions of sustainability are being realized to a certain extent. However, utmost efforts have to be undertaken in order to call this sector completely sustainable. Both benefits and challenges in all these dimensions are highlighted and recommendations towards a sustainable SHP sector are provided. Further, this study also proposes suggestions for the interested investors.

Disappearing rivers — The limits of environmental assessment for hydropower in India

The mountain rivers of the Indian Himalaya possess a vast potential for hydropower generation. After decades of comparatively modest development recent years have seen a major intensification in the construction of new hydropower dams. Although increasingly portrayed as a form of renewable energy generation, hydropower development may lead to extensive alterations of fluvial systems and conflicts with resource use patterns of local communities. To appraise and reduce adverse effects is the purpose of statutory Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) and corresponding mitigation plans. However, in the light of ambitious policies for hydropower expansion conventional approaches of environmental assessment are increasingly challenged to keep up with the intensity and pace of development. This paper aims to explore the systemic limitations of environmental assessment for hydropower development in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. Based on a qualitative methodology involving interviews with environmental experts, document reviews and field observations the study suggests that the current practice of constraining EIAs to the project level fails to address the larger effects of extensive hydropower development. Furthermore, it is critically discussed as to what extent the concept of Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) might have the potential to overcome existing shortcomings.