3.3. The energy resource modules

3.3.1. The biomass module

The biomass module examines the impact of land use changes on the biomass resource base and the impact of bioresources consumption. This, with wood productivity models/details and land management practice details, is designed to assess the present state of bioresources (includes fuel wood, agricultural residues, horticultural residues, dung and other bioenergy resources) in a region to meet the demand [26,27]. This is outlined in Fig. 1.3.

Areawise biomass requirements are disaggregated to simulate the requirements for wood and other biofuels in the individual sub-areas (taluk) used in the analysis. At the same time, the effects of changing patterns of inter taluk (sub-area) such as from hilly to coastal taluks are incorporated. Wood stock and yield data is assigned to each land type to account for spatial variation in availability of resources. Dung resources are projected through an inventory of animals in each area and the quantity of dung produced per animal in each region. The energy demands for firewood, wood used for charcoal and other biomass fuels are taken from the calculations of the demand and transformation programs. Final demand for charcoal in the demand program is met in the transformation program by a mix of traditional and efficient kilns [28-30].

Projections of available wood resources, combined with estimates of the energy requirement and scenarios describing the land use changes, allow the biomass module to simulate future wood growth and harvest, and indicate the adequacy of wood and other bioresources. In the final analyses, this module computes supply-demand shortfall if resources are found to be inadequate to meet requirements. This supply-demand shortfall is intended to indicate that responses in the form of energy efficient devices and planting of polyculture plant species are necessary.

3.3.2. The wind resource module

This module determines the wind potential in a region for (a) water pumping purposes and (b) wind farms—for electricity generation. This assessment is based on wind data—monthly, seasonal and yearly change of wind speeds (based on daily and hourly values) and wind speed at various elevations. Based on available wind resources and extent of land (feasible sites) to set up wind farms, wind resource module projects the wind energy that could be harnessed for electricity generation. Techno-economic analysis decides the viability of wind energy systems in a region [31].

3.3.3. Solar energy module

The solar energy module is similar to wind energy module. Based on solar radiation and meteorological data, feasible solar energy sites could be determined through this module [32]. Land use details provide the extent of land available for harnessing solar energy through either solar thermal devices or photovoltaic devices. Techno-economic analysis is intended to decide technical, economic, ecological and social aspects, and acceptability of devices in a region.

3.3.4. Hydroelectric energy operation module

The main functions of this module involve the answering of basically the following questions: (1) How much energy can be generated using flowing water of a river/stream and what is the reliability of such decisions? (2) How to operate a reservoir on a daily basis, taking seasonal constraints in order to achieve this goal? (3) How to maximise the net energy available in the region, while reducing submergence and construction costs?

The planning operation module will answer all these questions based on predetermined hydrological flow (database module, environmental and socio-economic module), GIS module, technical data, economic data and a certain user selected reliability level. It also generates adaptive operation policies based on this reliability level [33,34]. Fig. 1.4 shows the components of the planning operation module. The sequential operation of this module is as follows:

1. Start at beginning of the monsoon season.
2. User determines reliability level.
3. Manager module querys database record for historical flows of the system, and watershed module to predict inflows in the system.
4. Manager module starts the statistical module to generate mass curves and statistical parameters.
5. Manager module starts the environmental and socio- economic module for determining demands and constraints on the system (minimum reservoir level, water demands, downstream flows, etc.), and starts forecasting module to forecast rainfall and/or demands at the defined lead time.
6. 6 The manager module starts unsteady flow routing module to give initial guess on routings and flow constraints.
7. GIS module, with contour mapping (elevation) details, provides the submergence area for various dam heights, land use particulars and bioresources availability in the region.
8. Technical data module provides technical details of electrical machineries, dam, turbine, generator efficien¬ cies, and dependability norm for storage capacity.
9. Energy demand data module provides energy demand (electricity and fuel wood in the region), which helps in designing operation policies during the lean season.
10. Economic data module provides civil construction costs for various types and heights of the dam, cost of electrical machineries of various capacity, environmental costs, rehabilitation costs, land use details, and land submer¬ gence costs, construction time of each design, inflation rate, operation and maintenance costs, and depreciation costs.
11. Adaptive optimum control module decides the quantity of water drawn from the reservoir, taking into account seasonal constraints, volume of water stored for particular height of dam, seepage loss, evaporation loss, dead storage capacity of dam, and rate of sedimentation, so as to ensure there is no wastage of water. This also decides on storage capacity of a reservoir during non-monsoon season. Net energy available in the region is also presented in this module.         
                        Step (6) is recalled by manager module to update routing and flow constraints. This is repeated till convergence is obtained. Manager module starts GIS module to present changed submergence area for changed water drawn policies (that is for changed height of dam), reservoir levels, thus repeating the process for various reliability levels and dam heights:                   
12. Results are tabulated using spreadsheet software.
13. Operating rules are presented, and return to main module.

3.3.5. Micro/mini/small hydropower plants module

The potential assessment of feasible sites for seasonal hydropower plants in a region is carried out in this module [34]. Quantity of water, terrain, technical and economic viability of plants decide the implementation of the project.