Assessing Micro-Hydropower in Himachal Pradesh

Himachal Pradesh is the largest producer of hydroelectricity in India, and boasts a 99.8% rural electrification rate. However, micro-hydropower is electrical power with off-grid applications that does not cause the negative impacts of large-scale projects. Our team researched the viability of using micro-hydro turbines to power individual households. We conducted interviews with 39 people across eight locations to understand the electrical needs of the community as wells as opinions on micro-hydro projects. We then constructed a micro-turbine prototype and tested it at a local river site. Finally, we made several recommendations for improvements to our prototype as well as continued research on the feasibility of micro-hydro technologies