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Malaysia
Abstract- Malaysia is blessed with abundant streams and rivers abundant number of streams flowing to foothills, Malaysia has
flowing from highland areas, thus promise it with a lot of hydro a lot of micro hydro potential.
power potential. To date Malaysia had utilized these potential in
Micro hydro generation capacity is in the range of 5kW to
the range of large and mini hydropower but very few in the
100kW [ 10]. If this potential is fully utilized, it will help in
micro hydro range. This paper presents the results of
generating power from environmentally friendly run-of-river
reconnaissance studies carried out to identify the micro hydro
type of hydropower system. It provides a good solution for
potential sites in Malaysia. The reconnaissance studies were
energy problems in remote and hilly areas where the extension
conducted with data from the Department of Survey and
of grid system is comparatively uneconomical. Micro
Mapping Malaysia, (JUPEM) and Metrological Department
hydropower had already proven to be a practical and potential
Malaysia. All the identified streams were located in areas which
low-cost option for generating electricity at remote sites,
are accessible and/or showed evidence of settlements. Only
particularly for small villages in hilly areas such as East
streams with high head i.e. above 50m, were considered in this
Malaysia, India, China, and Kenya [8,9, 10]. Indonesia,
study. From the reconnaissance studies, a total of 149 sites were
Thailand, Vietnam and other Asian and African countries have
identified. However, the energy demand for micro hydro was
micro hydro projects implemented which in most cases
found not significant as most areas in Malaysia are electrified.
implements standardized technologies for off grid
Still, micro hydro generation may serve as alternative renewable
decentralized village hydro schemes. In some cases the micro
energy source in future amid rising electricity cost.
hydro systems replace the diesel generators and are used as
hybrid systems with solar powers [ 1 1]-[14]. These systems
Keywords - Micro hydro, reconnaissance study, renewable energy.
also had been used for direct mechanical energy for small
1. INTRODUCTION industries and agriculture such as battery charging, welding
workshop, crop processing, and grain milling in developing
Hydropower is the most widely used renewable energy
countries [ 15]. Since the micro hydro system can be used as
source worldwide as it contributes 19% of the world's
direct mechanical drive scheme or electricity generation
electricity power from both large and small power plants [ 1,2].
scheme, the installation of these systems in the remote villages
In Malaysia, hydropower utilization for electricity generation
especially the mountainous one had bring huge social
started in July 1900 when a small hydroelectric plant was
economic development in the villages [ 10]. There is also a
constructed on the bank of Sempam River near Raub, Pahang
possibility for off-grid connection serve as decentralized
by the Raub-Australian gold mining company [3,4]. The
generation from micro hydropower to the surrounding areas if
utilization of hydropower in Malaysia to supply electricity for
proven economical. Micro hydropower projects are generally
domestic use however, was only commercially available
considered to be more environmentally favourable than both
around the 1970s [3]. To date, there are twelve large-scale
large hydro and fossil fuel powered plants. With all these
hydropower stations and fifty eight mini scale hydropower
advantages, micro hydropower can be said as principle
stations in Malaysia with Bakun project is another large scale
renewable sources for sustainable development especially in
hydropower plant in progress with a total generating capacity
developing countries.
of 2400 MW [5]. In total, Malaysia has hydropower electricity
generating capacity of about 18,500 MW and this represents This paper presents the results of reconnaissance studies
about 20% of Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB), the largest carried out to identifY the micro hydro potential sites in
power utility company in Malaysia, total generation capacity Malaysia. In this study, the topography maps and hydrology
[6,7]. Although Malaysia had successfully benefited from large data were used to identifY the heads and the mean annual flow
and mini scale hydropower for electricity generation, micro rate of the sites. All the identified streams were located in areas
hydro had only been recently implemented in a few sites in which are accessible and/or showed evidence of settlements.
East Malaysia [8,9]. However, there are still no micro hydro Only streams with high head i.e. above 50m were considered in
schemes in West Malaysia. The potential of micro hydropower this study. Using the heads and flow rates, the available
in Malaysia has not been fully identified. With hilly hydraulic power of the micro hydro sites can be estimated.
topography almost from South to North, East to West and
II. OVERVIEW OF MICRO-HYDRO POTENTIAL IN MALAYSIA Ill. METHODOLOGY
Malaysia comprises of two distinct regions which are West In identifYing the micro hydro potential sites in Malaysia,
Malaysia covering Peninsula Malaysia and East Malaysia reconnaissance studies were carried out. A reconnaissance
covering North Borneo. In total, both regions cover land area study is an initial stage or preliminary study to identifY
of 330 000 sq. km in which 58% is lowland areas and 42% is hydropower potential sites [ 19]. Reconnaissance studies are
highland areas [ 16]. The highland areas in Malaysia are divided into two main parts which are map studies and
created by numbers of well known ranges. In Peninsula hydrology studies. For both part of the studies, topographic
Malaysia, the highland areas are created by ranges such as maps and meteorology data were used to estimate the head
Titiwangsa, Tahan, Bintang, Kledang, and Pantai Timur. and flow rate of the identified micro hydro potential sites.
Barisan Titiwangsa range is the main range which is
considered as the backbone of the Peninsula. In Sarawak, the A. Map Studies
highland areas were created mainly by Tama Abu, Iran and
Kapuas Hulu ranges. In Sabah the highland areas were created Map studies were done by using topographic maps
by Crocker, Maitland and Brassey. With average rainfall of obtained from department of Survey and Mapping Malaysia
2540 mm in Peninsula, 2630 mm in Sabah and 3850 mm in (JUPEM). Below are the details of the topographic maps used.
Sarawak, Malaysia is blessed with abundant streams and rivers Map name: Malaysia topography map (Series L 7030)
flowing from the highland areas created by these ranges [ 17].
Combinations of highland areas with huge river networks Scale: 1:50 000
promise Malaysia with a lot of micro hydropower potential.
Contour: Contour Vertical interval 20 meters
Figure 1 and 2 show the map of Peninsula Malaysia and East
Malaysia respectively. From the topography map studies, detailed information of
the sites was recorded. Listed below are the information
gathered during the studies.
B. Hydrology Studies
Since most potential micro hydropower sites are ungauged,
(2371 m) i.e. no measurement of streams flow rate, the stream flow
Figure 2: Map of East Malaysia [18]. available for micro hydro generation was predicted by
estimating the mean annual flow, Qrn. The catchment water
balance methodology was used to estimate Qrn [ 15]. Qrn was streams identified for micro hydro generation were found to
determined using Equation 1. have enough flow for micro hydro electricity generation. The
site stream exploration were carried out in lohor, N. Sembilan
and Pahang.
Qm = (AARDx Area) /31536 ( 1)
AARD =Average annual catchment runoff, mm TABLE I" MICRO HYDRO POTENTIAL SITES BY STATE
No. State No. of Sites
SAAR =Standard average annual rainfall, mm
1 lohor 12
AE =Actual evaporation, mm 2 Negeri Sembilan 17
3 Malacca 0
Actual evaporation was estimated from potential 4 Selangor 2
evaporation (PE) using a scaling factor r, where r increases 5 Pahang 26
6 Perak 34
with SAAR and hence increasing water availability. The actual
7 Kedah 5
evaporation is estimated using Equation 3:
8 Penang 0
AE =rx PE (3)
9 Perlis 0
10 Kelantan 10
PE =Evaporation rate
11 Terengganu 3
This relationship between r and SAAR is given by: 12 Sabah 18
13 Sarawak 22
r =0.00061x SAAR + 0.475 for SAAR < 850mm