THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With environmental concerns rendering major hydel projects taboo, newer methods for generating hydropower on a smaller scale are being tried out in the state. The Energy Management Centre (EMC), Kerala-- an autonomous body under the state government-- is set to pilot two technologies in Thiruvananthapuram district which are ideal for decentralised micro hydropower development.
In the months ahead, the EMC will pilot the ‘vortex flow turbine’ technology near the Kaduvetti bridge near Sasthamangalam and the bulb turbine technology on the Killiyar at Maruthankuzhi.
Both systems are ideal for micro hydro projects and have little or no negative impact on the environment, EMC officials said.
“In the vortex turbine system, an artificial ‘whirlpool’ or vortex is generated within the system to create the rotational energy for operating the turbine. This is perhaps the first time the technology is being tried out here,” EMC joint director G Anil said.
The Kaduvetti micro-hydro electric project will have an installed capacity of 20 kilowatt (KW), but the EMC endeavour is mainly aimed at generating awareness about the vortex turbines. “It’s a demonstration project meant to show the public what the technology is all about,’’ Anil said.
In Maruthankuzhi, which is also a downtown area, the EMC had originally planned to try out the Archimedean screw turbine technology.
However, the agency went in for the bulb turbine system as it was more ideal for the river location which is prone to flooding during the monsoons. The latter technology is suited for producing hydro power where the ‘head’ is low or non-existent, the EMC officials said.
The Maruthankuzhi micro-hydro electric project will have an installed capacity of10 KW. The EMC has invited bids for both projects, and hopes to commission them in six months’ time.
Micro hydel projects are those which fall in the 5 KW-100 KW bracket. Over the past few years, the EMC has also implemented several ‘pico’ hydel projects, which are even smaller hydel projects having an installed capacity below 5 KW.