3. Examples of r.green.hydro and r.green.biomassfor modules

The modules r.green.hydro and r.green.biomassfor will be soon available for everybody on GRASS or QGIS. They are composed of different programs (theoretical, legal, technical, economic and

recommended) which can detect the potential of hydro power and forest biomass according to different criteria.

Evaluation of renewable energy potential in Pilot Areas:a Decision Support System

Giulia Garegnani, Pietro Zambelli, Francesco Geri, Julie Gros, Valentina D’Alonzo, Gianluca Grilli, Sandro Sacchelli, Jessica Balest, Giorgio Curetti, Alessandro Paletto, Marco Ciolli, Daniele Vettorato

r.green.hydro computes the potential of hydro power returning maps with

potential plants and power

r.green.hydro.theoretical

r.green.hydro.legal r.green.hydro.recommended

Output maps :

- Intakes and restitution of potential

plants

- Segments of potential plants

Here is the output of r.green.hydro.recommended

excluding from the computation of potential plants

the areas visible from the mountain huts. The

visibility become higher if the area is visible from

several mountain huts.

r.green.hydro.technical

1. Description of r.green model

The Alpine Space project "recharge.green-Balancing Alpine Energy and Nature" focuses

on the trade-off between energy production and its impacts on nature. In this project, we

developed a decision support system (DSS) with a multi-disciplinary approach and tries to

consider a substantial number of variables from technical, legal, ecological and economic

perspective, in order to evaluate the residual potential of renewable energy. The DSS is

called r.green and is organized in modules for each kind of renewable energy. Starting

from the availability of the resources and goes through different levels of energy potential

(theoretical, legal, technical, economic and recommended) different scenarios can be

compared. Thus, we can identify the energy potential that can be concretely exploited and

the more suitable places for constructing a new power plant.

2. Software GIS open source

r.green model is run in GRASS GIS software (or QGIS).

The Geographic Resources Analysis Support System (GRASS) supports the

creation, modification and processing of 2D and 3D raster and vector layers.

QGIS is a user friendly Open Source Geographic Information System (GIS) and

an official project of the Open Source Geospatial Foundation (OSGeo). It

provides a continuously growing number of capabilities provided by core

functions and plugins (visualize, manage, edit, analyse data, and compose

printable maps).

These software are open source, it means that the source code made available

with a license in which the copyright holder provides the rights to study,

change, and distribute the software to anyone and for any purpose.

Input maps :

- Discharge

- Elevation

Input maps :

- Discharge

- Elevation

- Minimum flow

- Existing plants

Optional input :

- Distance and length of potential plants

(number)

- Maximum power of areas (map)

- Areas to exclude (map, ie parks)

Output map :

Streams with values of potential

power which can be exploited

r.green.hydro.economic

Output maps :

- Intakes and restitution of potential plants including cost estimation

- Structure of the potential plants - derivation channel and penstock - including cost estimation

Cost estimation is a sum of the different costs which enables to calculate the net present value :

Total cost = compensation + excavation + supply and installation

of pipelines and electro lines + grid connection + some others

Net present value = depreciation rate * (Revenue – Maintenance ) – Total cost

Input :

- The same as r.green.hydro.legal

- Map with areas to exclude according to

user’s recommendations

r.green.biomassfor calculates the potential of energy production from forest

biomass

Input maps :

- Forest increment

- Stand surface

- Forest management

- Forest treatment

r.green.biomassfor.theoretical

Input maps :

- Forest yield

- Stand surface

- Forest management

- Forest treatment

r.green.biomassfor.legal

Inputs maps :

- Forest yield

- Stand surface

- Forest management

- Forest treatment

- Digital Terrain Model

- Parcel map

- Forest roads

r.green.biomassfor.technical

r.green.biomassfor.economic

Inputs maps :

- Forest yield

- Stand surface

- Forest management

- Forest treatment

- Forest roads

- Main roads

- Digital Terrain Model

- Parcel map

- Prices and costs

Output map :

Theoretical energy production :

maximum potential

Optional input :

Legal energy production according to

forestry plans

Output:

Technical energy production

considering roads accessibility and slope

Output:

Economic energy production considering

wood prices and other costs

Output maps :

- Intakes and restitution of potential plants

including head losses and efficiency ->

the value of power is corrected

- Structure of the potential plants -

derivation channels and penstocks -

for both sides of the river, also including

the corrected power