Small-scale hydrokinetic turbines for remote community electrification
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Date
2021
Authors
Tan, K.W.
Kirke, B.
Anyi, M.
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Energy for Sustainable Development, 2021; 63:41-50
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This paper reviews available power supply options for off-grid remote communities in equatorial regions such as Sarawak, Malaysia, with particular focus on hydrokinetic turbines (HKTs) which have potential for the many villages located on rivers where topography does not favor conventional micro-hydro. Cost is a critical factor, as these communities rarely have the purchasing power to acquire expensive equipment manufactured in high-cost countries such as Germany, Canada and the United States. A 0.585 m diameter, low-cost axial flow hydrokinetic turbine was designed, constructed at a cost of USD 300 for materials and 450 for labour, and field tested for this purpose. It produced 92 W from a 1.3 m/s river current velocity, equivalent to 2.2 kWh per day which meets the service level deemed sufficient for a typical rural household in Sarawak, with an overall water to wire efficiency of approximately 34%.
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Copyright 2021 Published by Elsevier Inc. on behalf of International Energy Initiative
Access Condition Notes: Accepted manuscript available after 1 July 2023