GIS-Based Modeling of Site Suitability and Capacity for Small Hydropower Generation in Edo State, Southern Nigeria
Keywords:
Small Hydropower (SHP), Suitability, GIS, Dam
Abstract
The study evaluates the suitability of sites for small hydropower development in Edo State, Nigeria, as a renewable energy source. The assessment integrates Geographic Information System (GIS) techniques with hydrogeological and remote sensing data, including precipitation, stream order, geology, slope, land use/land cover, and soil texture. A Multi-Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) approach, specifically the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP), was used to rank potential SHP sites based on their suitability for hydropower generation. The analysis identified three highly suitable locations for SHP development. The estimated gross annual energy outputs for these sites were 5.8 MW, 5.65 MW, and 6.1 MW, respectively. These findings indicate significant potential for SHP as a sustainable energy solution in the region. However, further considerations - such as the specific hydropower yield, the river course location, environmental sustainability, socio-cultural factors, and compliance with government policies - are crucial for successful development. The study underscores the importance of SHP in enhancing electrification efforts while promoting environmentally friendly and sustainable energy generation.
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References
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25. Melesse AM (2002) Spatially Distributed Storm Runoff Depth Estimation using Landsat images and GIS. University of Florida, Gainesville.
26. NIMET (2007) Rainfall and Temperature data for Benin City Synoptic Station. Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET), Benin, Nigeria.
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28. Odiji C, Adepoju M, Ibrahim, I, Adedeji O, Nnaemeka I, Aderoju O (2021) Small hydropower dam site suitability modelling in upper Benue River watershed, Nigeria, Applied Water Science, Springer. 11:136https://doi.org/10.1007/s13201-021-01466-6.
29. Osokoya O. O., Ojikutu, A. O., Olayiwola, O. O., Chinedum, C. W., & Osokoya, O. O. (2013). Enhancing Small Hydropower Generation in Nigeria. Journal of Sustainable Energy Engineering, 1(2), 113–126. https://doi.org/10.7569/jsee.2012.629507
30. Prasad HC, Bhalla P, Palria S (2014) Site suitability Analysis of water Harvesting Structures using Remote Sensing and GIS- A csae Study of Pisangan Watershed, Ajmer District, Rajasthan. The Internal Archives of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensng and Spatial Information Sciences., XL-8.
31. Saaty T (1977) A scaling method for priorities in hierarchical structures. Journal of Mathematical Psychology, 3(15), 234-281.
32. Saaty, T. L. (2008). Decision making with the analytic hierarchy process. International Journal of Services Sciences, 1(1), 83. https://doi.org/10.1504/ijssci.2008.017590
33. Soulis, K. X., Manolakos, D., Anagnostopoulos, J., & Papantonis, D. (2016). Development of a geo-information system embedding a spatially distributed hydrological model for the preliminary assessment of the hydropower potential of historical hydro sites in poorly gauged areas. Renewable Energy, 92, 222–232. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.renene.2016.02.013.
34. USDA (2004) Estimation of Direct runoff from Storm rainfall, National Engineering Handbook.
35. Valiantzas KS (2012) SCS-CN Parameter determination using Rainfall-Runoff data in heterogenous Watersheds- the two-CN-System approach. Agricultural University of Athens, Greece, Department of Natural resources Management and Agriculture Engineering. Ahens: Hydrology and Earth System Sciences.
36. Wang L, Li Y, Wu J, An Z, Suo L, Ding J, Li S, Wei D, Jin L (2023) Effects of the Rainfall Intensity and Slope Gradient on Soil Erosion and Nitrogen Loss on the Sloping Fields of Miyun Reservoir. Plants (Basel). 12(3):423. doi: 10.3390/plants12030423. PMID: 36771513; PMCID: PMC9921839.
37. Webb, S. (2024). Fossil fuels and environmental degradation. EBSCO Research Starters
38. World Bank Climate Change Knowledge Portal. (n.d.). https://climateknowledgeportal.worldbank.org/country/nigeria/climate-data-historical
2. Adinarayana, J. K. N. (1995) An Integrated Approach for Prioritization Of Watersheds. Journal of Environmental Management, 4(44), 375-384.
3. Africa Soil Profiles Database (AFSP). (n.d.). www.isric.org. https://www.isric.org/projects/africa-soil-profiles-database-afsp
4. Ang, T., Salem, M., Kamarol, M., Das, H. S., Nazari, M. A., & Prabaharan, N. (2022). A comprehensive study of renewable energy sources: Classifications, challenges and suggestions. Energy Strategy Reviews, 43, 100939. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.esr.2022.100939
5. Audu, L. M., Musa, N. A., Nasir A. and Muhammadu M. M. (2022). Environmental Impact Assessment of a Small Hydropower Plant: A Case Study of Orle River Auchi. Nigeria Journal of Engineering Science Research (NIJESR), 5(2): 28-39
6. Baban S. M. J. and Wan-Yusof K. (2003) Modelling Optimum sites for locating reservoirs in tropical Environments. Water Resources Management, 1-17. https://doi.org/10.1023/a:1023066705226
7. Chiyembekezo SK, Cuthbert ZK, Torbjorn KN (2012) Potential of Small-Scale Hydropower for Electricity Generation in Sub-Saharan Africa, International Scholarly Research Network ISRN Renewable Energy Volume 2012, Article ID 132606, 15 pages doi:10.5402/2012/132606.
8. Citypopulation (2023) Data retrieved: 23-11-2023 from https://citypopulation.de/en/nigeria/cities/agglos/ based on data from National Population Commission and National Bureau of Statistics, Nigeria.
9. Department of the Army & U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). (1986). SEEPAGE ANALYSIS AND CONTROL FOR DAMS (Change 1) [Engineer Manual]. Department of the Army. https://www.publications.usace.army.mil/Portals/76/Publications/EngineerManuals/EM_1110-2-1901.pdf (Original work published 1993)
10. De winnaar G. (2007) A GIS based approach for identifying potential runoff harvesting sites in the Thukela River Basin, South Africa. Physics and Chemistry of The Earth, 1058-1067.
11. Emeribe, C. N., Ogbomida, E., Fasipe, O., Biose, O., Aganmwonyi, I., Isiekwe, M., & Fasipe, I. (2016). Hydrological Assessments of Some Rivers in Edo State, Nigeria for Small-Scale Hydropower Development. Nigerian Journal of Technology, 35(3), 656. https://doi.org/10.4314/njt.v35i3.26.
12. Feizizadeh, B., & Blaschke, T. (2013). Examining urban Heat island relations to land use and air pollution: multiple endmember spectral mixture analysis for thermal remote sensing. IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Applied Earth Observations and Remote Sensing, 6(3), 1749–1756. https://doi.org/10.1109/jstars.2013.2263425
13. Feizizadeh, B., Roodposhti, M. S., Jankowski, P., & Blaschke, T. (2014). A GIS-based extended fuzzy multi-criteria evaluation for landslide susceptibility mapping. Computers & Geosciences, 73, 208–221. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cageo.2014.08.001
14. Fraenklel P. P (1991) Micro-Hydro Power; A guide for development workers, London. London: Immediate Technology Publications in association with The Stoockholm Environment Institute.
15. Ibegbulam, M. C., Fatounde, S. A., Olowonubi, J. A (2023) Small Hydropower (SHP) Development in Nigeria: An Assessment, Challenges, And Opportunities, International Journal of Physical Sciences Research, 7 (1), 11-35
16. Karakuş C. B, Yıldız S (2022) GIS‑multi criteria decision analysis‑based land suitability assessment for dam site selection. International Journal of Environmental Science and Technology, Springer, 19:12561–12580, https://doi.org/10.1007/s13762-022-04323-4.
17. Khare V, Khare C, Nema S, Baredar P (2019) Chapter 1 - Introduction to Energy Sources In: V Khare, C Khare, S Nema, PBT-TESBaredar (ed) Elsevier, pp 1–39 https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-814881-5.00001-6.
18. Kurse BC, Baruah DC, Bordoloi PK, Patra SC (2010) Assessment of Hydropower Potential using GIS and Hydrlological Modelling technique in Kopili River Basin in Assam India. Appl. Energy, 87(1), 298-309.
19. Geological Maps. (n.d.). Nigeria Geological Survey Agency. https://ngsa.gov.ng/geological-maps/
20. Machiwal, D., & Jha, M. K. (2008). Comparative evaluation of statistical tests for time series analysis: application to hydrological time series / Evaluation comparative de tests statistiques pour l’analyse de séries temporelles: application à des séries temporelles hydrologiques. Hydrological Sciences Journal, 53(2), 353–366. https://doi.org/10.1623/hysj.53.2.353
21. Mahoo HN (1999) Rainwater Harvesting Technologies for Agricultural Production: A case of Dodoma, Tanzania. Dodoma.
22. Maidment RD (1993) Handbook of Hydrology. Texas, USA: University of Texas.
23. Malczewski, J. (1999) GIS and Multicriteria Decision Analysis. John Wiley & Sons, New York.
24. Mardani, A., Jusoh, A., & Zavadskas, E. K. (2015). Fuzzy multiple criteria decision-making techniques and applications – Two decades review from 1994 to 2014. Expert Systems With Applications, 42(8), 4126–4148. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eswa.2015.01.003
25. Melesse AM (2002) Spatially Distributed Storm Runoff Depth Estimation using Landsat images and GIS. University of Florida, Gainesville.
26. NIMET (2007) Rainfall and Temperature data for Benin City Synoptic Station. Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET), Benin, Nigeria.
27. Nyambuu, U., Semmler, W. (2023). Fossil Fuel Resources, Environment, and Climate Change. In: Sustainable Macroeconomics, Climate Risks and Energy Transitions. Contributions to Economics. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-27982-9_4
28. Odiji C, Adepoju M, Ibrahim, I, Adedeji O, Nnaemeka I, Aderoju O (2021) Small hydropower dam site suitability modelling in upper Benue River watershed, Nigeria, Applied Water Science, Springer. 11:136https://doi.org/10.1007/s13201-021-01466-6.
29. Osokoya O. O., Ojikutu, A. O., Olayiwola, O. O., Chinedum, C. W., & Osokoya, O. O. (2013). Enhancing Small Hydropower Generation in Nigeria. Journal of Sustainable Energy Engineering, 1(2), 113–126. https://doi.org/10.7569/jsee.2012.629507
30. Prasad HC, Bhalla P, Palria S (2014) Site suitability Analysis of water Harvesting Structures using Remote Sensing and GIS- A csae Study of Pisangan Watershed, Ajmer District, Rajasthan. The Internal Archives of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensng and Spatial Information Sciences., XL-8.
31. Saaty T (1977) A scaling method for priorities in hierarchical structures. Journal of Mathematical Psychology, 3(15), 234-281.
32. Saaty, T. L. (2008). Decision making with the analytic hierarchy process. International Journal of Services Sciences, 1(1), 83. https://doi.org/10.1504/ijssci.2008.017590
33. Soulis, K. X., Manolakos, D., Anagnostopoulos, J., & Papantonis, D. (2016). Development of a geo-information system embedding a spatially distributed hydrological model for the preliminary assessment of the hydropower potential of historical hydro sites in poorly gauged areas. Renewable Energy, 92, 222–232. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.renene.2016.02.013.
34. USDA (2004) Estimation of Direct runoff from Storm rainfall, National Engineering Handbook.
35. Valiantzas KS (2012) SCS-CN Parameter determination using Rainfall-Runoff data in heterogenous Watersheds- the two-CN-System approach. Agricultural University of Athens, Greece, Department of Natural resources Management and Agriculture Engineering. Ahens: Hydrology and Earth System Sciences.
36. Wang L, Li Y, Wu J, An Z, Suo L, Ding J, Li S, Wei D, Jin L (2023) Effects of the Rainfall Intensity and Slope Gradient on Soil Erosion and Nitrogen Loss on the Sloping Fields of Miyun Reservoir. Plants (Basel). 12(3):423. doi: 10.3390/plants12030423. PMID: 36771513; PMCID: PMC9921839.
37. Webb, S. (2024). Fossil fuels and environmental degradation. EBSCO Research Starters
38. World Bank Climate Change Knowledge Portal. (n.d.). https://climateknowledgeportal.worldbank.org/country/nigeria/climate-data-historical
Published
2025-07-31
How to Cite
Fakpor, A. M., Fagunloye, O. C., Igben, T. E., & Dada, E. (2025). GIS-Based Modeling of Site Suitability and Capacity for Small Hydropower Generation in Edo State, Southern Nigeria. European Scientific Journal, ESJ, 21(21), 78. https://doi.org/10.19044/esj.2025.v21n21p78
Section
ESJ Natural/Life/Medical Sciences
Copyright (c) 2025 Akpofure Miller Fakpor, Olamiposi Caleb Fagunloye, Titus Endurance Igben, Emmanuel Dada
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
