5:15 PM - 7:15 PM
[U05-P03] Assessment of Small Hydropower Potential Under Climate Change in the Lanyang Watershed in Northeastern Taiwan
Keywords:Climate Change, Small hydropower, Lanyang River, Taiwan
Small-scale hydropower can be considered as the green energy with the lowest carbon emission for global electricity generation. Taiwan has high development potential of small hydropower because of the mountainous terrain and abundant rainfall. The study focuses on the potential of small hydropower in the past and in the future under climate change in the Lanyang River watershed (abbreviated as LRW) in the Northeastern Taiwan. The daily rainfall and discharge records from 2014 to 2023 were used to analyze the temporal distribution characteristic of rainfall and river discharge in the past in the LRW. The average annual rainfall in the LRW ranged from 2120.0 mm to 5898.5 mm, and the accumulated rainfall in the wet season (from May to October) occupied 43.7% to 85.7% of the annual rainfall. The daily river discharge with exceedance probability of 95% and 80% were approximately 0.81cms and 1.80cms based on the river discharge records from 2014 to 2023 in the LRW.
The study used the projected rainfall data proposed in the Assessment Report Sixth by Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change as the rainfall data in the future in the LRW. The rainfall data under four climate change scenarios, including SSP 1-2.6, SSP 2-4.5, SSP 3-7.0 and SSP 5-8.5, were used in the study. The future in the study was classified into three analysis time periods, including the near future (from 2025-2050), mid future (2051-2075), and far future (2076-2100). The study analyzed the rainfall characteristic in the future, including the annual rainfall, temporal distribution of monthly rainfall and maximum daily rainfall, to predict the possible potential and benefit of Small Hydropower in the LRW.
The study selected a representative point in the upstream, midstream, and downstream in the LRW, and estimated the river discharge by using the drainage-to-area ratio method. This study uses three river discharge scenarios, including full, 1/2, and 1/3 river discharge, to assess the small hydropower potential. The study also evaluated the carbon reduction and economic benefits of small hydropower. This study uses the differences between past and future rainfall distribution to explain the possible development trend of small hydropower potential in the LRW in the future.
The study used the projected rainfall data proposed in the Assessment Report Sixth by Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change as the rainfall data in the future in the LRW. The rainfall data under four climate change scenarios, including SSP 1-2.6, SSP 2-4.5, SSP 3-7.0 and SSP 5-8.5, were used in the study. The future in the study was classified into three analysis time periods, including the near future (from 2025-2050), mid future (2051-2075), and far future (2076-2100). The study analyzed the rainfall characteristic in the future, including the annual rainfall, temporal distribution of monthly rainfall and maximum daily rainfall, to predict the possible potential and benefit of Small Hydropower in the LRW.
The study selected a representative point in the upstream, midstream, and downstream in the LRW, and estimated the river discharge by using the drainage-to-area ratio method. This study uses three river discharge scenarios, including full, 1/2, and 1/3 river discharge, to assess the small hydropower potential. The study also evaluated the carbon reduction and economic benefits of small hydropower. This study uses the differences between past and future rainfall distribution to explain the possible development trend of small hydropower potential in the LRW in the future.