Optimal hydroelectric energy utilization with ATDOA: a case study of the Bumbuna Dam

ABSTRACT Given that hydroelectric energy is regarded as the tertiary means of electricity production and furthermore the most crucial renewable energy producer globally, the imperative of maximizing the utilization of the vast and costly water resource, which depletion is increasingly conspicuous each passing day, is more pressing than before. In this study, the Advanced Tasmanian Devil Optimization Algorithm (ATDOA) is employed to optimize the utilization of hydroelectric energy derived from the Bumbuna Dam reservoir. This reservoir is situated in the Seli River, located in the Northern Province of Sierra Leone. The research period includes 138 months, covering the duration from October 2010 to April 2022. The Tasmanian Devil Optimization Algorithm, which is bio-inspired algorithm, has been shown to be an effective optimization technique in multiple scholarly researches. The decision variables in the hydroelectric energy optimization model from the reservoir are the optimal release values of the monthly hydroelectric output from the reservoirs of the dams. After verifying the correctness of the ATDOA algorithm by using several standard benchmark functions, a model was developed for optimal hydroelectric utilization of the Bumbuna Dam.