Investment cost analysis in small hydropower plants in terms of efficiency and a case study in the Euphrates and Tigris basins

Abstract

Abstract Flow rate is the basic parameter for calculating the energy capacity and investment costs of small hydropower plants. Because energy costs are directly related to energy capacity. While the energy capacity increases, the investment cost of the hydropower plant increases also. However, if the energy capacity is high, the energy production will be high and the investment cost will be amortized in a short time. In this study, small rivers in the Euphrates and Tigris Basins with previously determined hydropower capacities were selected, and the investment costs of small hydroelectric power plants to be designed on these rivers were analysed. For this analysis, 10 streams were selected from the Euphrates and Tigris Basins, and only Baskoy and Celebiyan streams have flow observation stations. The flow values of the remaining 8 streams were found by regression analysis using the basin and flow values of Baskoy and Celebiyan streams. Therefore, cost–benefit analyses were carried out separately for these flows in this study. In this study, because it includes the most effective hydrological parameters as well as many technical and economical parameters, the SMART Mini Hydro Tool Program was used.

Keywords

• Small hydropower
• Hydrological model
• Cost analysis
• Efficiency
• Euphrates and Tigris Basins