Technology Outline (Process Description)

In rural hilly areas of India, access to electricity is a challenge due to adverse weather conditions that disrupt electricity distribution infrastructure. While Run of River (RoR) based Micro Hydro Powerplants (MHP) operate in many remote villages during the monsoon season, they remain non-operational during summers when streams dry up. To address this problem, a team comprising of Academics, scientists and engineers from Visva-Bharati (A Central University) and NB Institute for Rural Technology implemented an innovative Solar pumped storage project at a remote village in Manipur, which included a 12kW Micro Hydro integrated with a 40kW Solar Pumping system and an Upper and Lower reservoir. By constructing upper and lower reservoirs and using a smart solar pumping system, stable round-the-year power generation was achieved. This has improved the lifestyle of beneficiaries, allowing them to increase their income by operating industrial food processors and tailoring equipment, previously not possible. This project has thus developed a sustainable power generation and storage system, which can improve the PLF of existing RoR based MHP plants, replace battery-based energy storage systems, and store solar energy economically and effectively.