Multiobjective Functions to Identify the High-Power-Density Stream Reaches in Hydropower Resource Assessment

Abstract

A hydropower resource assessment (HRA) can be considered a reconnaissance survey in which the total hydropower potential in a region is quantified. Hydropower potential for purposes of this paper is defined as the potential power that can be extracted from a reservoir. A product of mean annual streamflow flowing in a stream reach and the hydraulic head in a potential reservoir to be constructed in the stream reach with turbine efficiency and unit weight of water determines the power potential. Traditionally, an HRA considered only hydrologic and hydraulic information to quantify the total hydropower potential in a region. With the advancements in computational technology, the HRA can be enriched with geospatial environmental information. This additional information can help to identify the potential stream reaches and their rank for future hydropower development in a region. This paper considers three different types of information, and hence, three criteria, including (1) hydrologic and hydraulic information; (2) environmental information; and (3) combined hydrologic and hydraulic and environmental information to search for potential stream reaches. A methodology was proposed to identify the high-power-density sites for potential development using these three criteria. The methodology was tested to a USGS subbasin in the state of California. The impacts of the criteria on potential site identification are clearly observed in the results.