Maximizing Hydropower’s Value in Wholesale Electricity Markets

New Report: Maximizing Hydropower’s Value in Wholesale Electricity Markets

Brattle Consultants Author Whitepaper for National Hydropower Association

Boston, MA, April 15, 2021. Leveraging Flexible Hydro in Wholesale Markets: Principles for Maximizing Hydro’s Value,” new whitepaper released today by the National Hydropower Association (NHA) and authored by economists at The Brattle Group explores how hydropower assets currently participate in regional transmission organization (RTO) wholesale markets, and how RTO market rules can encourage hydro to operate and invest in ways that maximize their value to the system as the power sector transforms to clean energy and variable resources.

Hydro is the largest renewable and flexible resource class in the country, with over 100 GW of capacity providing approximately 7% of total electric generation in the US and 39% of renewable generation.  Hydro operators and RTOs have well-established procedures for these resources to participate into wholesale markets, yet surveys and interviews conducted with NHA members as part of the whitepaper indicate that there is still work to be done if hydro is to competitively and efficiently provide the services needed to support the grid of the future.

“To fully utilize hydropower in the clean energy transition, RTOs must work with hydro owners and operators to continue developing market rules that allow hydro to compete fairly with other resources and maximize the value of the grid services these resources can provide,” noted Roger Lueken, a Brattle Senior Associate and whitepaper coauthor.

“Hydropower is an essential part of a climate solution, which is why it is critical for wholesale markets to value the reliability, resiliency and flexibility it provides to the electricity grid”, said Malcolm Woolf, President and CEO of NHA. “Achieving the ambitious decarbonization goals proposed by the Biden Administration and Congress, starts with recognizing that hydropower is more than just clean energy. The ancillary services it provides to the grid are being leveraged by balancing authorities to integrate growing amounts of wind and solar generation. With this report, our goal is to shine a spotlight on the need for RTO market rules to fairly compensate the services that hydropower provides.”

The Brattle whitepaper outlines four principles for maximizing the value that hydro and other assets provide within wholesale markets, to inform current and future RTO market rule development:

  1. New energy and ancillary service (E&AS) market products may be needed as the fleet transforms and faces new flexibility challenges.
  2. RTOs should allow hydro a range of energy market participation options, so hydro operators can provide the greatest value to the system while respecting the unique characteristics of their assets.
  3. Hydro and other flexible resources should be properly compensated for any out-of-market dispatches (while continuing to strive to procure grid services in-market).
  4. All assets, including hydro, should be accredited fairly for the resource adequacy value they provide.

“Leveraging Flexible Hydro in Wholesale Markets: Principles for Maximizing Hydro’s Value,” is coauthored by Brattle Principal Samuel Newell, Senior Associate Roger Lueken, Senior Consultant Pablo Ruiz, and Senior Research Analyst Jesse Cohen.

ABOUT BRATTLE

The Brattle Group answers complex economic, finance, and regulatory questions for corporations, law firms, and governments around the world. We are distinguished by the clarity of our insights and the credibility of our experts, which include leading international academics and industry specialists. Brattle has over 400 talented professionals across three continents. For more information, please visit brattle.com.

ABOUT NHA

The National Hydropower Association (NHA) is a nonprofit association dedicated exclusively to promoting the growth of clean, renewable hydropower and marine energy. NHA represents more than 250 companies in the North American waterpower industry, including public and investor-owned utilities, independent power producers, developers, equipment providers & manufacturers, service providers, environmental and engineering consultants, attorneys, and public policy, outreach, and education professionals.

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