Hengbung village in Manipur has implemented a pioneering micro solar pumped storage facility, which provides continuous power to approximately 50 households. This facility is notable for being the first project in India to integrate solar energy with hydro storage, ensuring a reliable energy supply.

What is Solar-micro-hydropower System?

Solar-micro-hydropower is a renewable energy system that combines solar and micro-hydropower to generate electricity:

Solar: Uses solar energy to pump water from a lower reservoir to an upper reservoir during periods of high solar irradiance.

Micro-hydro: This stored water can then be released through a micro-hydro turbine to generate electricity when solar power is unavailable. A turbine, pump, or waterwheel converts the energy of the flowing water into rotational energy, which is then converted into electricity.

Solar-micro-hydropower systems can provide several advantages, including:

• Grid stability
• Reduced greenhouse gas emissions
• Continuous power generation