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Pumped Storage
1836-1517 Valuing PHS with high REN
Lead Companies
GE
Lead Researcher (s)
- David Havard
Project will help industry to understand how various PSH designs, namely variable speed and synchronous drive, provide value to the electrical system under high intermittent renewables.
Technology Application
Pumped Storage
Research Category
Interconnect Integration and Markets
Research Sub-Category
Renewable Integration
Status
ongoing
Completion Date
2020
Conventional Hydro
2080-1505 Flexibility Low Head Francis
Lead Companies
GE
Lead Researcher (s)
- David Havard
To assess the extended flexibility capability of the low head Francis hydropower fleet, the empirical characterization of a typical plant will be undertaken.
Technology Application
Conventional Hydro
Research Category
Powerhouse Equipment
Research Sub-Category
Turbine
Status
ongoing
Completion Date
2021
Pumped Storage
A Comparison of the Environmental Effects of Open-Loop and Closed-Loop Pumped Storage Hydropower
Lead Companies
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
Lead Researcher (s)
- Bo Saulsbury
Pumped storage hydropower (PSH) is a type of energy storage that uses the pumping and release of water between two reservoirs at different elevations to store water and generate electricity. When demand for electricity is low, a PSH project can use low cost energy to pump water from the lower reservoir to the upper reservoir for storage. When demand for electricity is high, a PSH project can release water from the upper reservoir through a powerhouse to generate electricity. Traditionally, this meant that PSH plants generated power during the day and pumped at night, with modest diurnal or seasonal variation.Today, PSH pumping operations are changing to facilitate the integration of the tremendous growth of variable renewable energy (VRE) generating resources, especially wind and solar, on the U.S. grid. PSH facilities are often a least cost option for high capacity (both energy and power), long-duration storage, and can provide the flexibility and fast response that a high-VRE-penetration grid requires. PSH faces its own set of challenges in construction and operation, however, including high initial capital costs, long construction timeframes, uncertainty in revenue streams (similar to all storage), and potential environmental impacts. The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) HydroWIRES initiative includes research to address each of these challenges. This report focuses on potential environmental impacts: specifically, the degree to which impacts can be reduced by using closed-loop pumped storage systems as opposed to the traditionally more common open loop systems.
Technology Application
Pumped Storage
Research Category
Environmental and Sustainability
Research Sub-Category
Status
complete
Completion Date
2020
Conventional Hydro
A Methodology for Rockwad Velocity and Predator Habitat
Lead Companies
Bureau of Reclamation
Lead Researcher (s)
- Jenna Paul
A continuous sequence of velocity and predator refugia is imperative to the survival of out-migrating juvenile salmonids on the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers. Gaps in habitat along the river corridor increase the risk of predation, fatigue, stress, and reduced growth rates, and therefore, necessitate mitigation actions. However, traditional habitat enhancement methods, such as side-channel restoration, are not applicable on all reaches or during all flow conditions. Areas confined by levees, steep banks, or other topographical constraints require new methods to supplement migration habitat where it is missing or insufficient. A rockwad is a tree trunk (with root cluster) anchored to a large boulder. The boulder and root mass provide velocity and predator refugia, and therefore, allow juveniles to safely rest and eat during their emigration. Through hydrodynamic simulations, physical modeling, and fish behavior algorithms, this project will determine the optimum quantity and placement patterns to achieve suitable migration habitat conditions. It is expected that the results from this research lead to design recommendations for future habitat projects.
Technology Application
Conventional Hydro
Research Category
Environmental and Sustainability
Research Sub-Category
Fish and Aquatic Resources
Status
ongoing
Completion Date
2022
Marine Energy
A Miniaturized Long-Life Low Frequency Acoustic Transmitter for Fish Tracking in Marine Enviroments
Lead Companies
PNNL
Lead Researcher (s)
- Huidong Li
The JSATS low-frequency acoustic transmitter will provide government agencies, researchers and marine energy operators a more capable tool to gain insights into marine animals’ behavior related to marine and hydrokinetic energy operations, contributing to producing environmentally sustainable, cost-effective marine energy and ensuring U.S. energy security. The development of this technology directly supports WPTO’s efforts to accelerate MHK project deployments and development of the MHK market.
Technology Application
Marine Energy
Research Category
Environmental and Sustainability
Research Sub-Category
Fish and Aquatic Resources
Status
ongoing
Completion Date
TBD
Conventional Hydro
A Real-Time and Autonomous Water Quality Monitoring System
Lead Companies
PNNL
Lead Researcher (s)
- Daniel Deng
PNNL is developing an enhanced real-time and autonomous water quality monitoring system to advance water quality measurement technologies for challenging locations, resulting in more informed management decisions regarding new and existing hydroelectric facilities that minimize or avoid environmental impacts and maximize operational efficiency.
Technology Application
Conventional Hydro
Research Category
Environmental and Sustainability
Research Sub-Category
Water Resources
Status
ongoing
Completion Date
TBD
Conventional Hydro
Activation Guidelines for Dam Safety Emergency Preparedness Plans
Lead Companies
CEATI International
Lead Researcher (s)
- #0232
This study addresses the key components of the emergency plan activation process, including the organizational, human and technical aspects of activating a dam owner’s emergency plan in the event of a large flood or dam safety incident.
Technology Application
Conventional Hydro
Research Category
Dam or Weir
Research Sub-Category
Dam Safety
Status
complete
Completion Date
2020
Conventional Hydro
Adaptation of the Existing Fryingpan-Arkansas Project RiverWare Planning Model to Support Operational Modeling, Forecasting, and Probabilistic Decision-Making
Lead Companies
Bureau of Reclamation
Lead Researcher (s)
- Theresa Dawson
The existing Fryingpan-Arkansas Project RiverWare planning model was developed to support long-term water management and planning uses such as water supply and policy evaluation. In the model's current state, it doesn't support real-time operational uses. The primary objective of this project is to adapt the existing model to support uses for short-term operational decision-making, forecasting, probabilistic risk management, and administration so that the model can be used by Reclamation's Pueblo Field Office for these purposes with thorough documentation so this process can be used by model developers in the future.
Technology Application
Conventional Hydro
Research Category
Interconnect Integration and Markets
Research Sub-Category
Hydraulic Forecasting
Status
ongoing
Completion Date
2020
Marine Energy
Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Reliability
Lead Companies
PNNL
Lead Researcher (s)
- George Bonheyo
The overall project objective is to make assessments (using coupons & substructures) and then provide a descriptive resource of materials properties and solutions that address the prioritized needs of the industry.
Technology Application
Marine Energy
Research Category
Technology
Research Sub-Category
Hydrokinetic
Status
ongoing
Completion Date
TBD
Conventional Hydro
Advancing Modeling Tools for Assessment of Long-Term Energy/Water Risks for Hydropower
Lead Companies
PNNL
Lead Researcher (s)
- Mark Wigmosta
This project will provide a scalable, fine-resolution, physics-based modeling framework to evaluate different potential hydropower investment and operational decisions in the face of hydrologic change. Specifically, the modeling framework will be able to quantify risk, at the plant and system levels; impacts of hydrologic conditions on hydropower and thermoelectric production; water temperature; and ecosystem resources.
Technology Application
Conventional Hydro
Research Category
Interconnect Integration and Markets
Research Sub-Category
Hydraulic Forecasting
Status
ongoing
Completion Date
TBD
Don’t see your project?
Have questions about WaRP?
Contact Luciana Ciocci at: luciana@hydro.org
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Disclaimer
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