Prospects of Low Head Hydropower in Bangladesh a Case Study
CHAPTER: 1
1.0 Introduction:
Electricity is one of the most important energy resources for modern development. But due to the high cost production as well as the high cost of establishment of national grid, the third world country like Bangladesh can not provide electricity to all over the country. Due to the above causes the supply of electricity, i.e, national grid, covers only a few areas, especially the urban and suburban regions where only 20% of the total population of Bangladesh live (BBS, 2004) [Ref.1]. So, the maximum portion of the population who lives in the rural area is not getting the advantages of using electricity. It is a matter of appreciation that Rural Electrification Board has taken initiatives to provide electricity for advantages less rural people since 1977, but yet to provide the facility for the people who are living in suburban region. Hydro electric power, whereby a difference in water level is used to extract power, is well established technology. Most hydroelectric power comes from the potential energy of dammed water driving a water turbine and generator. In this case the energy extracted from the water depends on the volume and on the difference in height between the source and the waters outflow. This height difference is called the head. The amount of potential energy in water is proportional to the head. However, it is generally only considered for locations where there is more than 10m of head. In low head situations, the low velocity implies the need for large flow rates and hence large machines to recover a modest amount of power. Hydro power is an eco-friendly clean power generation method. Unfortunately, the scope of hydro power generation is very limited in Bangladesh because of its plain lands with exceptions in some hilly regions in the northeast and southeast parts of the country. The lone hydropower plant of the country is located at Kaptai of Chittagong Hill Tracts
With
1.0 Introduction:
Electricity is one of the most important energy resources for modern development. But due to the high cost production as well as the high cost of establishment of national grid, the third world country like Bangladesh can not provide electricity to all over the country. Due to the above causes the supply of electricity, i.e, national grid, covers only a few areas, especially the urban and suburban regions where only 20% of the total population of Bangladesh live (BBS, 2004) [Ref.1]. So, the maximum portion of the population who lives in the rural area is not getting the advantages of using electricity. It is a matter of appreciation that Rural Electrification Board has taken initiatives to provide electricity for advantages less rural people since 1977, but yet to provide the facility for the people who are living in suburban region. Hydro electric power, whereby a difference in water level is used to extract power, is well established technology. Most hydroelectric power comes from the potential energy of dammed water driving a water turbine and generator. In this case the energy extracted from the water depends on the volume and on the difference in height between the source and the waters outflow. This height difference is called the head. The amount of potential energy in water is proportional to the head. However, it is generally only considered for locations where there is more than 10m of head. In low head situations, the low velocity implies the need for large flow rates and hence large machines to recover a modest amount of power. Hydro power is an eco-friendly clean power generation method. Unfortunately, the scope of hydro power generation is very limited in Bangladesh because of its plain lands with exceptions in some hilly regions in the northeast and southeast parts of the country. The lone hydropower plant of the country is located at Kaptai of Chittagong Hill Tracts
With