FOREWORD
The threats of global warming and climate change have drawn the world’s attention to
renewable sources of energy. Dwindling fossil resources, such as petroleum oils and coal,
and the over dependence on imported fuels has prompted countries to look for internal
resources to meet escalating energy demands. Micro-hydro is one of the technologies
that use the locally available water resources to generate electricity.
Practical Action has promoted a number of renewable energy options over the last few
decades, to help meet the energy needs of the poor, with micro-hydro being one of the
earliest. Working on micro-hydro village electrification schemes over the last 25 years,
community based renewable energy technology has proven to be an appropriate energy
solution for remote rural villages which are not connected to the main electricity grid.
Community based micro-hydro village electrification schemes use the water of the streams
that generally pass through the villages to generate power to meet the community’s basic
electricity needs. The communities are involved in these schemes from the very initial
stages. Owned by the community, the micro-hydro electricity schemes are operated and
maintained by the community.
However, without a basic knowledge it is hard for any person to assess whether a village
could have a potential to generate electricity from a micro-hydro scheme to meet
their electricity needs. Some fundamental aspects have to be considered and basic
calculations have to be made. This booklet helps a lay person to understand and gain an
idea as to whether their village has a potential to meet its own electricity needs through
a community based micro-hydro village electrification scheme.