Energy situation, potential and application status of small-scale hydropower systems in Malawi

Sustainable energy is required for any national development. This paper has reviewed and documented energy situation and small-scale hydropower potential and application status in Malawi. The countryʹs energy sector is dominated by traditional forms of biomass. Level of modern forms of energy supply is low. In particular, electricity supply is unreliable and small in capacity. Decentralised energy supply systems like small-scale hydropower are some of the recommended energy projects for developing countries. per adds knowledge on small-scale hydropower in Malawi. The study has reviewed Government reports and other documents. Informants were also consulted. Information from documents and informants was confirmed through site visits. alysis of the small-scale hydropower potential sites indicates that the country has considerable potential for decentralised hydropower generation, which if fully exploited, can contribute to the countryʹs electricity and power supply especially for rural electrification. Most of the identified potential sites are located in the northern parts of the country. From the information on the assessed sites, a proven potential of 7.6 MW can be harnessed. An inventory of small-scale hydropower systems shows there is an installed capacity of 5.8 MW with most of the plants not functioning due to various reasons. Challenges and opportunities towards popularisation of the technology have been identified and discussed.