Development of a Floating Structured Hybrid Power Plant with Remote Monitoring and Flood Alert

Abstract

This project presents the design and development of a hybrid solar-hydro power generation system aimed at providing a sustainable, efficient, and reliable source of electricity for remote and rural areas. The system integrates a floating hydropower unit with a solar photovoltaic (PV) setup to ensure continuous power generation under varying environmental conditions. The hydropower unit utilizes a water turbine coupled with a DC motor which will act as generator to convert the kinetic energy of flowing water into electrical energy, while the solar panel supplements power generation during periods of low water flow or dry seasons. The generated DC power from both sources is regulated and stored in a rechargeable battery, which supplies power through a DC to AC inverter for general household and community use. An ESP32 microcontroller with integrated Bluetooth is used as a monitoring unit, replacing separate Arduino and ESP8266 modules used in earlier designs. This reduces circuit complexity, enhances processing efficiency, and enables real-time monitoring through the Serial Bluetooth Terminal. Additionally, a water level sensor is employed to continuously monitor river or canal levels and provide early flood alerts when unsafe conditions are detected. Alert message is sent via GSM Module. The combination of renewable energy sources, smart monitoring, and storage ensures a stable and uninterrupted power supply with enhanced safety. The proposed hybrid system effectively overcomes the limitations of existing standalone hydropower systems by adding solar energy support and battery backup. It demonstrates the potential of combining multiple renewable energy technologies with Real-time monitoring to achieve reliable, clean, and self-sustained power generation suitable for off-grid applications

Introduction

The text describes a floating hybrid renewable energy and flood monitoring system that combines solar power and hydropower with IoT-based real-time monitoring.

The project addresses two major issues: increasing energy demand and flood risks. It proposes a dual-purpose floating power plant that generates electricity using a solar panel and hydropower turbine, stores energy in a 12V lead-acid battery, and uses an ESP32 microcontroller to manage power flow and monitor system parameters. The system also measures water levels and sends automatic flood alerts via SMS, while allowing users to view live data such as voltage, current, and power on a mobile device.

The literature review highlights existing research on smart energy management systems, battery optimization, hybrid renewable energy systems, and floating hydropower technologies, all of which support the project’s design. It shows that combining multiple renewable sources with smart control and storage improves reliability and efficiency.

The design section explains key engineering choices:

• Small household loads (LEDs, chargers) are selected.
• A PVC pipe floating structure is designed with sufficient buoyancy (up to ~176 kg safe load capacity).
• A 200W inverter is used to convert 12V DC to 220V AC.
• A 12V, 7Ah battery stores ~84Wh of energy for backup power.

Overall, the system provides a sustainable hybrid energy solution with integrated flood detection and remote monitoring, making it suitable for rural and flood-prone regions.

Conclusion

The proposed hybrid solar–hydro power system successfully combines two renewable energy sources to create a reliable, efficient, and sustainable method of power generation. By integrating solar panels with a floating hydropower setup, the system ensures continuous energy production throughout varying environmental conditions. The inclusion of a battery storage unit allows excess energy to be stored and used later, providing a steady and uninterrupted power supply even during periods of low water flow or limited sunlight. The inverter converts the stored DC power into AC, making the generated energy suitable for domestic and community applications. The introduction of the ESP32 microcontroller with built-in Wi-Fi replaces multiple separate control units, minimizing component count and circuit complexity while enabling real- time Real time remote monitoring through the Blynk platform. The integration of water level sensors further enhances the safety of the system by providing flood alerts when water levels exceed safe limits. These technological improvements make the system compact, intelligent, and user-friendly, ensuring both operational reliability and safety. Overall, the project demonstrates a practical approach to solving the challenges of power generation in remote and rural areas. It promotes the efficient use of natural resources, reduces dependency on conventional energy sources, and contributes to environmental protection by producing clean energy with zero emissions. The system’s simplicity, scalability, and low maintenance requirements make it a cost-effective solution for sustainable electrification. In conclusion, this hybrid solar–hydro power system represents a step toward the future of renewable energy integration. With further advancements such as AI-based control, improved storage technology, and large-scale deployment, the concept can evolve into a robust and intelligent energy infrastructure capable of meeting growing global energy demands while supporting a cleaner and greener planet

References

[1] Usman Zafar, Sertac Bayhan, and Antonio Sanfilippo \"Home energy management system concepts, configurations, and technologies for the smart grid\" in IEEE Access, June 26, 2023. [2] Krishna Kumba, Sishaj P.Simon, Venkateshwarlu Gundu, Patri Upender, Nawin RA, Mithun Sarkar \"An Evaluation of battery degradation and predictive methods under resistive load caused by intermittent solar radiation\" IEEE Access Feb 2024 [3] Su Guo, Aynur Kurban, Yi He, Feng Wu, Huanjin Pei, and Guotao Song ‘‘Multi-objective sizing of solar-wind-hydro hybrid power system with doubled energy storages under optimal coordinated operational strategy’’ IEEE Access NOV 2023 [4] Samandar Khan Afridi, Abdul Sattar Saand, Abdul Rafay Khatri, Mohsin Ali Koondhar, Wonsuk Ko, Sisam Park, Hyeong-Jin Choi, Waqas Ahmed “Prototype development of an automatic and floating structured hydropower plant” IEEE Access OCT 2023 [5] Mohsin Ali Koondhar, Samandar Khan Afridi, Abdul Sattar Saand, Abdul Rafay Khatri, Lutfi Albasha, Zuhair Muhammed Alaas, Besma Bechir Graba, Ezzeddine Touti, Mouloud Aoudia, and M. M. R. Ahmed ‘‘Eco – Friendly Energy from Flowing Water’’ It was published in 2024 in IEEE Access.

Copyright

Copyright © 2026 Amalkrishna M R, Aryan V Babu, Joel Joby Thommana, P A Avin, Sneha Mohan K. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.