Hydrokinetic Turbine Technology and Its Prospect in Bangladesh: A Review

As a sustainable alternative to fossil fuel, hydropower is becoming increasingly popular since the concern over global warming is growing worldwide. Conventional hydropower technology involves the use of hydraulic turbines, which require a large static head of water created by constructing a dam across the river. This technology, though widely used, has a negative impact on river hydrology and aquatic lives. Hydrokinetic turbine, on the other hand, having a working principle similar to wind turbine doesn’t require a dam or barrier and has negligible impact on the aquatic environment. Bangladesh being the land of rivers can effectively implement hydrokinetic turbine-based technology for supplying electricity in off-grid remote areas. In this article, a review of hydrokinetic turbine technology for extracting the kinetic energy of rivers and oceans has been conducted. The status, merits, and applications of this technology have been briefly discussed. Finally, the prospect of this technology in Bangladesh has been assessed.