Selection of best location for small hydropower plant (SHP) along Chamkhar River, bhutanusing analytical hierarchy process (AHP)

AbstractHydropower development activities have been playing an indispensable role in enhancing Bhutan's economy and driving towards its goal of becoming a self-reliant nation. Hydropower being a renewable source of energy with minimal environmental impacts has always synchronized with Bhutan's strict environmental regulations and policies. Despite having remarkable hydropower potential, it has been able to harness only a fraction of the total potential hydropower production only due to various challenges faced by the hydropower sector. There is a lack of in-house resources and experienced local expertise to carry out the specific assessment. Large-scale hydropower projects not only have high upfront cost and risk but also posing severe threats to the environment of terrestrial and riverine ecosystems. Run-off-river small hydropower plants (SHP) are considered to be most cost-effective and more importantly, they have relatively lesser impacts on the environment. It has been understood that river systems in Bhutan have numerous potential sites for SHPs despite facing a challenge in the selection of a suitable location. Hydropower development is a multi-dimensional approach that pivots on various factors and requires a multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA). This study focuses on criteria prioritization of seven different criteria of locating an SHP along Chamkharriver that has been notable of its potentiality. The analytical hierarchy process (AHP) of MCDA is the most suitable method for selecting the most feasible locations of a hydropower plant in this study. From the total of ten potential sites that have been considered feasible through technical studies, eventually, seven were taken for further suitable analysis. Hence, the five quantitative and two qualitative criteria were used to scale down to the most suitable location using the AHP method. This paper's model resulted that among the criteria, the sanctuary buffer distance (environmental aspect) to be a top priority criterion, followed by heritage (social aspect) and the next was the project cost (economic aspect).