Assessing Power Generation and Financial Viability of Hydrokinetic Farms in Canal Environments with Varying Turbine Diameters: A Case Study

¹ Research Scholar, Hydro and Renewable Energy Department, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, Roorkee, India
² Assistant Professor, Civil Engineering Department, Netaji Subhas University of Technology, Delhi, India
³ Professor, Hydro and Renewable Energy Department, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, Roorkee, India

^* Corresponding author: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Abstract

The growing need to expand renewable energy generation has drawn attention to hydrokinetic technology. This study evaluates the impact of turbine size on the techno-economic viability of a hydrokinetic farm through a case study of a canal in Uttarakhand, India. Two configurations, one with 0.5 m diameter helical Savonius turbine (Case 1) and the other with 1.0 m diameter helical Savonius turbine (Case 2), both deployed over a 1 km canal stretch, have been investigated. For cases 1 and 2, the total number of installed turbines is calculated as 850 and 200, respectively. The net annual energy generation is estimated as 2.57 GWh for Case 1 and 2.42 GWh for Case 2. The total capital expenditure has been found to be USD 0.736 million for Case 1 and USD 0.528 million for Case 2. The levelized tariffs are calculated as 0.058 USD/kWh and 0.045 USD/kWh for Case 1 and Case 2, respectively. Further, sensitivity analysis revealed that capital expenditure is the most influential parameter, followed by O&M expenses and discount rate. Overall, the study highlights that Case 2 offers better techno-economic viability than Case 1, providing useful insights for researchers, developers, and investors in planning hydrokinetic farms.