This work describes system engineering of an internet-of-things (IoT) connectivity and satellite data transfer for a pico-hydroelectric power generation system. The system is developed for deployment in remote villages in the Nepal Himalayas. The IoT devices are sensors attached to various points in the system which monitor critical system performance metrics such as generator vibrations and output voltage and control important functions. The data is transmitted from IoT devices using Zigbee. The data is then transmitted to the Iridium satellite system so it can be available to an international team of researchers who developed and monitor the performance of the system. This allows for optimization and performance improvements with the goal of perfecting the system so it can be implement in other villages. This work describes the system, why it is needed, and the hardware. The result is an IoT enabled monitoring system with real time data transmitted using satellites.

IoT enabled pico-hydro electric power with satellite back haul for remote himalayan villages

We describe the Internet-of-Things (IoT) network, the Arduino platform and integrated development environment (IDE), and the JSON communications protocol, to manage a pico-hydroelectric system in a Himalayan Nepalese village. This demonstrates the usability and reliability of open-source IoT devices and platforms in critical green energy infrastructure at difficult-to-reach places. The local system utilizes an RS-485 network that connects five nodes: power room, turbine room, village bathwater tank, a community center bathwater tank, and a biogas digester tank. The power room node contains the master controller of the monitoring and utilization network. The turbine room node consists of a Failsafe module that monitors the voltage, temperature, and water pressure of the turbines. The Failsafe is critical for automatically dumping dangerous excess generated power into the river. The community center and village bathwater nodes, and the biogas digester node, consist of AC Relay modules that monitor the temperatures and send power to their resistive loads on command from the power room, based on village user selected priorities and current energy availability. Close to 100% utilization of the generated power has been achieved, bringing significant benefits to the villagers.

IoT Sensing and Control Network for Pico-Hydroelectric in the Nepal Himalayas

In November 2019, a joint team from Colorado State University and the University of Rwanda intervened to repair a failed pico-hydropower plant in southwestern Rwanda. In a common outside-intervention model, the plant had been constructed by U.S. university team that later, for unknown reasons, couldn't provide additional intervention. The system had failed in 2016 after three years of operation. The qualitative analysis completed during the repair visit identified three primary issues which led to system failure: shortage of local management and technical skills resulting in poor maintenance and no financial reserves, poor local availability of common materials and tools needed for maintenance, and lack of community education to manage the plant. The analysis also includes an assessment of progress on these issues. While immediate technical issues have been resolved and training improved, fundamental operational processes require substantial additional work. The objective of this paper is to highlight, as is too infrequently the case, a failed village electrification project. Only by illuminating what isn't working can the development community learn the best practices.

Learning from Failure: A Case Study of Repairing a Pico-hydropower System in Rwanda

Development of in-situ pico hydropower from treated drain wastewater

A bibliometric review of grid parity, energy transition and electricity cost research for sustainable development

Remote, high-altitude villages in the Nepalese Himalayas belong to the poorest and most underdeveloped communities in Nepal, with many still years/decades away from access to electricity. It is common that first-time electrification of these villages is through a 15–50 kW micro-hydropower (MHP) system, subsidized by the Nepal government. The majority of the so far installed MHP systems in the region are however within 3–12 months after they have been commissioned either inoperable due to premature equipment breakage, inappropriate operation, and absent maintenance or do not provide the expected power output. No mechanism is put in place to build an operating and maintenance fund, further putting the longevity of the system at risk. The “dreams” of villagers, promised by such development projects, remain unfulfilled and most often shattered. This paper describes a modular pico-hydropower (PHP) system (1–5 kW) being pursued in the village of Moharigaun in the Jumla district of Nepal whose capacity can be expanded as the village’s power demand, population, and ability to operate and maintain the system grow. This modular PHP system provides reliability through redundancy and the elimination of some of the more maintenance-prone components. The turbine water and electricity delivery infrastructure are buried to protect them from the elements and potential mischief. Most importantly, a prepayment system with remote disconnect capability ensures households pay into an operations and maintenance fund. The whole village community is actively involved in each step of the project (planning, implementation stages, and training), so they will develop a strong ownership for their PHP system. Further, local people, chosen by the community, will be trained to properly operate, administer, and maintain the PHP system.

Derek Jackson

Papers

Modular Pico-hydropower System for Remote Himalayan Villages