The development of renewable energy capacities in Serbia: Case study of three small hydropower plants in the “Golija” biosphere reserve with special reference to the landscape heritage

Small hydropower plants utilizing unharnessed energy in existing irrigation systems are a prominent source of renewable energy. In Japan, land improvement districts play a key role in the management of irrigation systems, but face serious problems in terms of management sustainability and require participation from non-farmers. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of residents’ involvement in small hydropower projects on their environmental awareness and understanding of the projects’ multifunctional regional value. We administered a questionnaire survey to 238 households in three areas: Itoshiro, Kashimo and Ibigawa. The respondents were categorized into four groups: participation, recognition, knowledge and control. Based on the degree of respondents’ involvement in small hydropower projects, inclusive relationships between their involvement and awareness were revealed. These relationships suggest that the trigger of resident involvement is a key factor in developing sustainable small hydro facilities within existing irrigation systems.

Download Full-text

Hydro Tasmania – Renewable Energy Drivers, Action and Plans

Energy & Environment ◽

10.1260/095830505774478495 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 16 (5) ◽

pp. 803-813

Author(s):

Roger Gill ◽

Harry Andrews

Keyword(s):

Renewable Energy ◽

Electricity Market ◽

Wind Farm ◽

Environmental Science ◽

Small Hydropower ◽

Wind Generators ◽

Hydropower Plants ◽

Island State ◽

National Electricity Market ◽

Wind Resource

In Tasmania, the island state of Australia, the generator, Hydro Tasmania, is pushing technical, environmental and business boundaries in its plans to integrate a relatively high proportion (up to 20 percent) of large wind generators into its current complex mix of large and small hydropower plants. Its plans include projects to increase the efficiency of its older hydropower equipment as it prepares to supply much needed peaking capacity to the market in southern Australia via the groundbreaking Basslink undersea cable, which is due for completion in November 2005. Taken as a package these developments are creating a globally significant reference site for renewable energy systems. The paper will describe what is happening, and more importantly what is underpinning the developments, including: the harnessing of Tasmania's world-class wind resource, where recently constructed 1.75 MW wind turbines are achieving capacity factors of over 45 percent – some of the best productivity in the world today; the application of leading environmental science measures to ensure the sustainability of both the new wind farm developments and the transformation of the hydropower system to meet peak capacity demands; the relevance of the existing large hydropower storages that can operate in synergy with the wind resource; the contribution of Australia's renewable energy certificate scheme, which is effectively doubling the value of new renewable energy developments compared with existing generation sources; the application of the latest technology in hydropower turbines, combined with power system expertise from the world's leading manufacturers, to increase the efficiency of older hydropower generators, thereby more effectively harnessing the existing environmental footprint; and the transformation of Hydro Tasmania's business into a significant supplier and trader of premium value peak energy into the sophisticated Australian National Electricity Market.

Download Full-text

Towards the Development of Sustainable Hydro Energy in Lithuania

Proccedings of 10th International Conference "Environmental Engineering" ◽

10.3846/enviro.2017.023 ◽

2017 ◽

Author(s):

Jaunius Jatautas ◽

Pranas Mierauskas

Keyword(s):

Sustainable Development ◽

Renewable Energy ◽

Natural Environment ◽

Negative Impact ◽

Renewable Energy Sources ◽

Social Situation ◽

Human Society ◽

Renewable Energy Resources ◽

Small Hydropower ◽

Hydropower Plants

Development of renewable energy sources together with sustainable development covers a complicated range of issues which require complex assessment in the context of Lithuania’s energy independence. Hydropower is an integral part of renewable energy resources and affects both the natural environment and human society. Although negative impact of hydropower on the environment is acknowledged, advances in modern technology can reduce the potential damage, especially when developing a network of small hydropower plants in Lithuania. Moreover, implementation and continuity of this kind of projects enables to improve the economic and social situation, e.g. by creating new jobs. Construction of small hydropower plants in combination with a sustainable development strategy would help to avoid the possible damage to the natural environment and would contribute to improvement of the country’s economic and social landscape. Limitation of the negative impact on the environment is primarily based on technological solutions – the appropriate construction of fish ladders or other passes at dams enables fish migration. Meanwhile, contribution to improvement of the economic and social situation in the case of small hydropower plants depends on political decisions and activity of lobby groups.

Download Full-text

Environmental conflict, renewable energy, or both? Public opinion on small hydropower plants in Serbia

Post-Communist Economies ◽

10.1080/14631377.2021.1943928 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-30

Author(s):

Mile Mišić ◽

Anastassia Obydenkova

Keyword(s):

Renewable Energy ◽

Public Opinion ◽

Environmental Conflict ◽

Small Hydropower ◽

Hydropower Plants

Download Full-text

Community-Led Micro-Hydropower Development and Landcare: A Case Study of Networking Activities of Local Residents and Farmers in the Gokase Township (Japan)

Energies ◽

10.3390/en12061033 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 12 (6) ◽

pp. 1033

Author(s):

Tokihiko Fujimoto ◽

Kazuki Kagohashi

Keyword(s):

Renewable Energy ◽

Integrated Approach ◽

Well Being ◽

Development Theory ◽

Special Focus ◽

Small Hydropower ◽

Community Based ◽

Hydropower Development ◽

Local Residents

This paper aims at clarifying the determinants that promote the community-based renewable energy development in Japan, with a special focus on micro and small hydropower. This paper analyzes a case study of the social enterprise that was established by the local residents and farmers in the Gokase Township, the purpose of which is to install and develop community-based renewable energy. To analyze the case study, we adopt the framework of the Landcare approach. The Landcare approach can be characterized by the following guiding principles: (1) a strong community initiative guided by local residents and primary producers; (2) a focus on local problems; (3) a holistic and integrated approach to tackling problems; (4) stress on community well-being; and (5) partnership and networking. There are similarities between the Gokase Research Institute of Renewable Energy (GRIRE) and Landcare in that they both focus on local issues that can be tackled by local citizens and take a holistic approach that includes not only hydropower development but also improvement in community well-being. This paper examines the fitness of each principle and reveals that all of them fit fairly well with the case of micro-hydropower development in Gokase. This implies that micro-hydropower development in Gokase can be qualitatively evaluated as sustainable from the perspective of Sustainable Development theory.

Download Full-text

Assessment of the potential and prospects for the use of renewable energy sources in order to diversify electricity supply

Russian journal of resources conservation and recycling ◽

10.15862/06ecor120 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 7 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Artеm Golovin ◽

Olga Solodukhina ◽

Elvira Pyanikova

Keyword(s):

Renewable Energy ◽

Renewable Energy Sources ◽

Small Towns ◽

Energy Sources ◽

Electricity Supply ◽

Livestock Waste ◽

Small Hydropower ◽

Thermal Generation ◽

Hydropower Plants ◽

Murmansk Region

The purpose of the article is to assess the potential and prospects of using renewable energy sources in order to diversify electricity supply. The object of the study is the natural and economic conditions that determine the feasibility of using renewable energy sources in order to diversify electricity supply. The basis of the study was the data of domestic and foreign scientists in the field of assessing the possibilities of using renewable energy sources. The region of activity of the guaranteeing supplier JSC AtomEnergoSbyt is represented by the Kursk, Smolensk, Tver and Murmansk regions. An assessment of the installed electric power generation capacities made it possible to determine that in the Kursk and Smolensk regions generation with the use of atomic energy predominates. In the Tver region, the largest share of installed capacities is accounted for by nuclear generation, however, thermal generation has a significant share. The installed capacities of the Murmansk region demonstrate significant differentiation. There is generation in the region using atomic, hydrocarbon and renewable energy sources. The region is the only one among the considered regions that uses renewable energy sources. More than half of the generation of electricity in the Murmansk region occurs using renewable energy sources. An assessment of the potential of renewable energy sources in the region of activity of the guaranteeing supplier showed that in the Kursk, Smolensk and Tver regions it is inexpedient to place generation facilities using solar, wind, geothermal and small river energy. In the Murmansk region, on the contrary, there is sufficient potential to accommodate wind and small hydropower plants. An assessment of the bioenergy potential of the livestock industry showed that it is advisable to develop biogas energy in the Kursk, Smolensk and Tver regions, which, on the one hand, will allow the disposal of livestock waste, and, on the other hand, provide small towns with electricity and heat.

Download Full-text

Community-Based Business on Small Hydropower (SHP) in Rural Japan: A Case Study on a Community Owned SHP Model of Ohito Agricultural Cooperative

Energies ◽

10.3390/en14113349 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 14 (11) ◽

pp. 3349

Author(s):

Zafar Alam ◽

Yoshinobu Watanabe ◽

Shazia Hanif ◽

Tatsuro Sato ◽

Tokihiko Fujimoto

Keyword(s):

Renewable Energy ◽

Business Model ◽

Local Community ◽

Local Communities ◽

National Government ◽

Community Level ◽

Small Hydropower ◽

Community Based ◽

Problem Solving Skills

Energy is the prerequisite for social and economic development of a community and country. In Japan, national government is promoting small hydropower (SHP) through a renewable energy policy by providing a high FIT price of 34 yen (=0.32 US$/kWh) on energy generated from an SHP of less than 200 kW. Until now, the energy generation was controlled by national government agencies, but now independent power generation businesses are growing at the local community level in rural Japan. For the future growth of SHP, it is necessary to make electricity generation at the local community level. Therefore, these local communities will install and manage their renewable electricity by themselves. It will help to make the community self-sustainable and independent from the national government, and at the same time, it will also lead them to achieve the Sustainable Developments Goals (SDGs) target from community-based action. This paper aimed to discuss an SHP development business model in which local community will become the business owner of the SHP. It means “of the community, by the community and for the community”. The community identifies their renewable energy potential and needs, they borrow money from the financial organization or banks, install the power plant and do necessary maintenance and management by themselves. The revenue earned by selling electricity is used to repay the loan, and the rest is used for community development directly (such as local roads construction, agriculture land improvements, community hall maintenance, waterways maintenance, welfare, etc.). This paper also discussed a community-based 50 kW SHP installed in Miyazaki prefecture of Japan as a case study. This SHP is one of the best examples of a community ownership model (Community-based business model). A detailed explanation from planning to investment has been discussed. The local community is getting approximately 112,000 USD per year by selling the electricity, and 162-ton CO2 is estimated to decrease yearly, which will support the achievement of SDGs. Finally, installing this kind of SHP in remote areas will provide managerial skills to the local community directly, plant operation knowledge, and education to local students. Local communities learn the problem-solving skills, which lead them to solve the local problem on a community level by themselves.

Download Full-text

Dynamics of Electricity Production against the Backdrop of Climate Change: A Case Study of Hydropower Plants in Poland

Energies ◽

10.3390/en14123427 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 14 (12) ◽

pp. 3427

Author(s):

Katarzyna Kubiak-Wójcicka ◽

Leszek Szczęch

Keyword(s):

Renewable Energy ◽

Energy Policy ◽

Power Plants ◽

Renewable Energy Sources ◽

Biomass Energy ◽

Electricity Production ◽

Lower Amount ◽

Energy Sources ◽

Hydropower Plants

Renewable energy sources (RES) play an important role in the European Union’s energy sector as a result of the energy policy framework adopted. Its share in the final energy consumption varies depending on the country and the adopted energy policy. The article presents the structure of electricity production from renewable energy sources in Poland in the years 2002–2019. It was found that the share of energy production from hydroelectric power plants in Poland in relation to the amount of energy produced from renewable energy sources in the analyzed years has strongly decreased. The reason for this state was an increase in the production of energy coming from wind and biomass energy combined with an increase in subsidies for these energy producers. Additionally, unstable hydrological conditions, mainly low river flows, may be the reason for the low share of energy produced in power plants. As a case study, data for five small hydropower plants (SHP) located on the Gwda river (north-western Poland) were analyzed. Electricity production volumes were analyzed depending on the size of the Gwda river flow. It was found that the lower amount of electricity produced at SHPs on the Gwda river is mainly due to lower flows in the river. In the future, unstable electricity production from renewable energy sources may have a significant impact on achieving Poland’s energy targets in 2030.

Download Full-text