Investigation of the optimal method for determining hydropower potential of small streams: a case study Batman Basin in Turkey

• Published in: Arabian journal of geosciences Vol. 14; no. 7
• Main Authors: Yuksel, Ibrahim, Demirel, Ibrahim Halil
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cham Springer International Publishing 01-04-2021; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Alternative energy; Alternative energy sources; Basins; Creeks & streams; Digital Elevation Models; Drifters; Earth and Environmental Science; Earth science; Earth Sciences; Electric power generation; Elevation; Energy consumption; Energy resources; Feasibility studies; Floats; Flow duration; Flow duration curves; Geographic information systems; Geographical information systems; Head flow; Hydroelectric power; Hydroelectric power stations; Hydrologic data; Hydrologic models; Hydrology; Information systems; Methods; Original Paper; Pitot tubes; Remote sensing; Renewable energy; River basins; River discharge; River flow; Rivers; Rural development; Streams; Velocity measurement; Water discharge; Turkey; GIS; Head-flow; Gross hydroelectric potential; Small catchment; Hypsographic curve; Flow duration curve
• ISSN: 1866-7511; 1866-7538
• DOI: 10.1007/s12517-021-06877-y

Global energy consumption has provoked a need to explore alternative energy sources including run-of-the-river hydropower projects. In Turkey, hydroelectric energy production by utilizing small rivers has not reached the desired level yet. The aim of this study is to provide that hydroelectric energy production can be increased at the desired level in the Batman sub-basin and will offer a simplified procedure to estimate the potential power generation that can be applied locally. In this study, geographic information system (GIS) was used for elevation and morphological features of the basins and, a hydrological model and instantaneous discharge used for flow discharges. In the hydrological model, the parameters of the proxy basins were calibrated and transferred to the sub-basins were used. As the river discharge data of ten sub-basins, results of a hydrological model and for streams without flow observation stations instantaneous discharge estimations based on velocity measurement were used made by floats and pitot tube methods. Then, gross hydroelectric potential (GHP), hypsographic curve (HC), and head-flow (HF) methods for ten sub-basins were calculated. Flow duration curve (FDC) was used for the hydroelectric feasibility analysis. The study revealed that the hydropower potential of a river basin can be correctly assessed by employing a digital elevation model, stream network data, and a hydrological model, such as the HEC model, within a GIS framework. Also, considering the hydroelectric potential results (51507 MWh), it means an important energy potential for the region as it will support rural development and contribute to the country’s economy.