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Eco-friendly location of small hydropower

Ioannidou, C., O'Hanley, J.R. (2016) Eco-friendly location of small hydropower. European Journal of Operational Research, 264 (3). pp. 907-918. ISSN 0377-2217. (doi:10.1016/j.ejor.2016.06.067) (KAR id:58333)

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Official URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ejor.2016.06.067

Abstract

We address the problem of locating small hydropower dams in an environmentally friendly manner. We propose the use of a multi-objective optimization model to maximize total hydropower production, while limiting negative impacts on river connectivity. Critically, we consider the so called “backwater effects” that dams have on power generation at nearby upstream sites via changes in water surface profiles. We further account for the likelihood that migratory fish and other aquatic species can successfully pass hydropower dams and other artificial/natural barriers and how this is influenced by backwater effects. Although naturally represented in nonlinear form, we manage through a series of linearization steps to formulate a mixed integer linear programing model. We illustrate the utility of our proposed framework using a case study from England and Wales. Interestingly, we show that for England and Wales, a region heavily impacted by a large number of existing river barriers, that installation of small hydropower dams fitted with even moderately effective fish passes can, in fact, create a win-win situation that results in increased hydropower and improved river connectivity.

Item Type: Article
DOI/Identification number: 10.1016/j.ejor.2016.06.067
Uncontrolled keywords: small hydropower; optimization; fish passage barriers; river connectivity; backwater effects; probability chains
Subjects: Q Science > Operations Research - Theory
Q Science > QH Natural history > QH75 Conservation (Biology)
Divisions: Divisions > Kent Business School - Division > Department of Analytics, Operations and Systems
Depositing User: Jesse O'Hanley
Date Deposited: 02 Nov 2016 11:55 UTC
Last Modified: 09 Dec 2022 05:31 UTC
Resource URI: https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/58333 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes)
O'Hanley, J.R.: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3522-8585
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