GIS-Based Approach to Small Hydropower Potential Assessment Along River Ogun, Nigeria.

Abstract

Electricity access is one of the challenges faced in Nigeria today; and this problem is more pronounced in the rural communities. Connecting rural communities to the national grid is always a problem due the financial and logistical constraints of extending power through difficult terrain. To meet the energy demands of this deprived vast rural population small hydropower plants are recommended to be built and installed. Small hydropower is a clean renewable and reliable energy alternative that meets the economic and environmental energy policy objectives. Improved technological development in GIS and remote sensing provides alternative methodologies for the assessment of theoretical hydropower potentials. This study provides a methodological pathway towards identifying small hydropower potentials for rural communities along the River Course. Input data for the study include Digital Elevation Model (DEM), precipitation and evaporation collected in raster, and population data. The study identified a total of 57 potential hydropower sites with a maximum energy potential of 5.80 mw site. Ogun River has 75380kW of potential energy distributed along the river course in Ogun State. The estimated energy potential is expected to support about 22,040, 16530, and 11020 households at 100% 75% and 50% performance respectively. The study concludes that small hydropower plants are viable option for reducing the energy deficit of the country and can also help in the attainment of sustainable development goals 7 (universal energy access for all). The study recommends that government must take advantage of emerging GIS and remote sensing technologies to identify, estimate, and develop small hydropower plants for rural electrification while pursing and encouraging energy democratisation and decentralization.