Bachelor’s Thesis
Preliminary Technical-Economic Feasibility Study for Hydropower Development
Abdón Toledo San Juan
Year: 2017
Degree:
Degree in Electrical Engineering
Tutor(s):
Teodoro Adrada Guerra
José Antonio Mancebo Piqueras
OBJECTIVES
The aim of this project is to carry out a feasibility study of a hydroelectric power plant located at the foot of the dam on the Pontón Alto reservoir. The aim is to take advantage of the fact that the reservoir is already built to minimise costs and minimise environmental impact. The water will be returned to the natural course of the river once it has been turbined and the electrical energy produced will be fed into the electricity grid. This will provide renewable electricity in an area where there is hardly any generation.
ABSTRACT
This technical-economic feasibility study, in the form of an engineering project, contains the parameters for the choice, design and sizing of the elements of a mini hydroelectric power plant, as well as the structures, auxiliary elements and civil works necessary for its construction and commissioning.
The current world energy system is based on the generation of energy from fossil fuels. Fossil fuels are limited resources and their use is causing serious effects on the environment and human health.
There is a growing awareness of the need to protect the environment and to use non-polluting methods of energy production due to climate change. This has led in recent years to the signing of international political commitments that will help to achieve a sustainable development model.
Global energy consumption is much lower than the energy the Earth receives from the Sun. Hydropower, which indirectly comes from solar energy, is a clean and inexhaustible energy, like all other renewable energies.
The average annual production of hydropower worldwide is 2,600 TWh, which represents 19% of the electrical energy produced, with a total of 700 GW installed.
On a large scale, this energy source has limited scope for expansion; however, electricity generation with mini-hydroelectric plants has many possibilities for growth due to the diversity of exploitable flows.
Spain has a good hydroelectric power generation system and a technologically mature sector due to the existence of important hydrological resources and a long tradition in their use.
In 2016, a total of 36,385 GWh was generated in Spain by hydroelectric power plants and mini-hydroelectric power plants, from a total installed capacity of 18,963 MW (source: IDAE).
