Ecological and condition-based assessment for mini hydro life extension in Peninsular Malaysia

• Main Author: Mohamad Faizal Basri Nair, Mr.
• Format: text::Thesis
• Language: English
• Published: 2023
• Subjects: Ecological and condition-based assessment

With major emerging trends like demographic change, population increase, and industrial growth, it is time to rethink strategies and to embark on renewable energy resources as an important source of energy amongst the energy mix in Peninsular Malaysia. Mini hydropower based on run-of-river systems is one such source [1]. In 2012, there were thirty-nine units of mini hydro plants in Peninsular Malaysia [2] and a significant fraction of these plants' equipment inventory is approaching an initial design life of over forty (40) years by 2021. A condition-based assessment is essential to monitor effective functioning of the equipment to identify and suggest ways to improve functional quality and reliability of the plants. This paper entitled, “Ecological and Condition-Based Assessment for Mini Hydro Life Extension in Peninsular Malaysia,” aims to identify the current status and actual conditions of operational and non-operational plants. Twenty plants located in the states of Peninsular Malaysia are identified for this study. The assessment is based on civil and electro-mechanical structures and components of mini hydropower plants namely, turbine, generator, pressurized water conveyance, intake, governor, exciter and raw water system. The renewable energy analysis tool, RETScreen Expert, is used as the software to perform desired computations for verification of current power output of the small hydropower project. The overall findings shall help to determine the plants’ strengths and weaknesses based on the performance indicators. It shall serve as a platform to plug this sector back into Peninsular Malaysia’s electricity grids and clinch the 20% target set for 2025, besides dominating the renewable energy market.