Scientific article

Comprehensive approach to assessing the hydropower potential of small rivers

Chernetska, I.V.

Ващишак, І.Р.

Vashchyshak, I.R.

Hydropower potential of small rivers

The paper addresses the problem of assessing the hydropower potential of small
rivers in Ukraine in the context of renewable energy development and the decentralization of power systems. The feasibility of utilizing small atercourses, particularly mountain rivers of the Carpathian region, characterized by ignificant channel slopes and stable hydrological regimes, is substantiated. A comprehensive approach to hydropower potential assessment is proposed,
combining modern hydrometric methods for measuring water discharge and hydraulic head, metrological analysis of measurement errors, and the use of automated data acquisition systems. Both direct and indirect methods for determining hydrological parameters are considered, including hydrometric, float, volumetric, and acoustic methods. It is shown that measurement errors in
discharge and head have a decisive impact on the accuracy of power calculation and energy yield forecasting for small hydropower plants. The application of international standards ISO 748 and ISO 6416 ensures the reliability of assessment results. The obtained findings can be used in the design, modernization, and optimization of operating modes of small hydropower plants within the river systems of Ukraine.

hydropower

енергетична ефективність

energy performance

мала ГЕС

small HPP