Techno-economic assessment of domestic technology pico-hydro power turbine

Although pico hydroelectric turbine technology has the lowest cost per unit of energy among renewable energy sources, in Thailand, the cost reaches as high as 80 baht/W due to the exclusive need to import this technology. This research aims to bridge these gaps through a techno-economic analysis of a pico-hydro power turbine utilizing domestic technology. The turbine, developed by the KIRIWONG Community Enterprise, has a 3 kW capacity, producing electricity at 220 V 50 Hz. The study involved installing and testing a pico hydroelectric turbine system in a laboratory to assess its electricity production potential and to evaluate related economic indicators. The performance analysis of the hydroelectric turbine set revealed that the maximum electrical power and efficiency are linearly related to the flow rate. It was possible to generate 3 kW at a head of 100 m and a flow rate of 5.05 l/s, achieving an energy conversion efficiency of 60.5%, which is close to the design specifications. The investment return analysis for the hydroelectric turbine set indicated that the turbine offers a cost-effective investment, with benefits surpassing costs by the end of the project. The payback period was estimated at 1 year and 4 months when compared with operating a generator, and 4 years and 4 months when compared with purchasing electricity from the PEA, respectively. This results in an electricity cost of 0.26 baht/kWh, which can serve as valuable data for the future development and promotion of pico hydroelectric turbine systems in the country.