Energy generation in the canal irrigation network in India : a case for integrated spatial planning

Abstract

There is an extensive canal irrigation network in India, consisting of thousands of kilometers of constructed channels and distributaries that divert water from rivers to farms for irrigation purposes. These canals cut across district and state boundaries, crossing many energy-poor regions along their paths. In India, this large-scale canal network provide a unique opportunity for renewable energy generation that is yet to be realised, while simultaneously delivering a number of secondary benefits. Existing technologies for energy generation on canals include small hydropower (that uses canal falls) and, more recently, canal-top solar (mounted solar panels above the canal surface). The potential for hydrokinetic generation in irrigation canals, which uses the energy captured from flowing water, has not been rigorously investigated. Indeed, there are currently no canal-network level methods for energy planning that integrate generation and local energy needs of canal contiguous regions (i.e., canal corridors). This makes the potential for an integrated spatial assessment of renewable energy systems for irrigation canals an opportune research frontier. This thesis provides a framework for an integrated spatial assessment of the Supply (the renewable energy generation potential of the canal) and Demand (the unmet energy needs in the canal-corridor region) using the Upper Ganga Canal in Uttar Pradesh as a case study. For this analysis, I consider the theoretical (ideal maximum) and technological potential of hydropower and solar power on the Upper Ganga Canal. The energy planning framework presented in this thesis promotes more efficient resource allocation for energy-planning on irrigation canals. It facilitates the selection of electricity service (on-grid/off-grid) through a prioritization of canal reaches based on the spatial distribution of generation potential and canal-corridor village energy needs. While this thesis focuses on the specific case of the Upper Ganga Canal in Uttar Pradesh, the framework presented here is generalizable for canal corridors across South Asia.