Small hydropower dam site suitability modelling in upper Benue river watershed, Nigeria

Abstract

Small hydropower (SHP) is one of the most critical renewable energy that is well adapted to the rural localities in less developed countries across the world. Most rural communities in Nigeria are off the national power grid and are bedevilled by an inconsistent supply of electricity. The one possible panacea to the rural energy crisis is harnessing the terrain and abundant rivers and streams within their domain. This study aimed to identify and select suitable sites for the SHP dam in the upper Benue river watershed. Ten thematic layers, land use, precipitation, geology, soil, slope, elevation, stream power index, topographic wetness index, drainage density, and flow, were integrated with Geographic information system and Analytical hierarchy process. A composite suitability map created revealed that 7.5% of the watershed is of a very high suitable class, while 17.5% of the watershed is of a very low suitable class. To select an ideal location, a semi-automatic approach was developed to identify narrow valleys by intersecting contour with stream order and the suitability layer. Eighteen (18) potential dam sites were identified after a query operation was done. The developed method was validated using field data which were correlated with the model output using t-Test; paired two samples for the mean. A strong Pearson correlation of 0.71 between the field data and the semi-automatic approach was observed. The approach offers good prospects for dam site selection. Based on a field survey, the potential dam sites are feasible economically and technically for SHP dam construction that will provide cheap renewable energy to millions of inhabitants in the watershed.

Investigation of theoretical hydroelectric potential with GIS-based model in Buyuk Menderes Basin, Turkey

“…In another similar study, in addition to the method in this study, the analytical hierarchy process (AHP) was used as a selection tool in the selection of potential sites in Nigeria. (Odiji et al, 2021). Although theoretical calculations have been made for the determination of hydropower potential areas with the help of GIS in different studies, comparisons with existing hydropower plants have not been made, as was done in this study Zaidi & Khan, 2018;Setiawan, 2015).…”

Micro Hydro Power Site Characterization in Indonesia: Variable Optimization for Site Selection Using GeoDetector and RFE-Random Forest

“…The application of GeoDetector and RFE-RF for influencing variable selection involves binary classification, where data representing MHP sites are labeled as '1' and non-MHP sites are labeled as '0'. Due to several studies confirming that MHP sites are not suitable in the river with >45% slope [25], the non-MHP sites were determined at about 1,000 m downstream from existing MHP sites with >45% slope. This study used a 1:1 ratio between MHP site data and non-MHP site data to obtain 216 non-MHP sites.…”

Geo-spatial Assessment of small hydro potential in Abia state, South-Eastern Nigeria

“…A recent analysis found that the state's ability to implement hydropower schemes is limited by the lack of inland water and flooded land areas. Nonetheless, the research suggested using run-off-river systems to generate electricity in places like these using micro and pico turbines [29,30].…”