Potential for small hydropower development in the Tano River Basin of Ghana using SWAT and RETScreen

Abstract

Small hydropower (SHP) development offers promising sustainable energy solutions, particularly in regions with underutilised water resources. This study evaluates the potential for SHP development in the Tano River Basin (TRB) in Ghana using the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) and RETScreen. SWAT was used to generate and simulate basin parameters for hydropower analysis, while the RETScreen tool was used for techno-economic and emissions analysis. The power and energy potential for the candidate sites were evaluated using flow and power duration curves. The results demonstrate that the TRB has potential for small hydropower development, with twenty-four sites along the Tano River having a firm energy potential ranging from 4.6 to 46.4 GWh. A detailed analysis of all the twenty-four sites revealed that HP9, HP11 and HP14 were the most promising, with Net Present Values (NPVs) of $178,496,199, $177,857,919 and $175,248,329, respectively. An emissions analysis of these promising potential sites highlighted annual emissions savings averaging 66,382 tons of CO₂, equivalent to >140,000 barrels of oil not consumed. These findings underscore the potential for environmentally beneficial and economically viable SHP development, offering valuable insights for similar regional projects and contributing to Ghana's renewable energy and rural electrification efforts.