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- Conventional Hydro
Monitoring Technology Development for Sensitive Species (Eel/Lamprey Tag Development)
Lead Companies
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
Lead Researcher (s)
- Daniel Deng
The objectives of this project are to design, prototype, and perform laboratory and field tests of an injectable, acoustic micro-transmitter that can be used to study the behavior and survival of sensitive fish species (specifically juvenile eel and lamprey initially). Additionally, the project will provide information to develop mitigation measures for safer passage of eel and lamprey and reduce the environmental impacts hydropower production has on these species. Future research could build on this project, expanding the use of the tiny tags to many other species, such as American shad, delta smelt, and river herring. This project is a partnered research effort with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers under the Memorandum of Understanding for Hydropower.
Technology Application
Conventional Hydro
Research Category
Environmental and Sustainability
Research Sub-Category
Fish and Aquatic Resources
Status
ongoing
Completion Date
TBD
- Conventional Hydro
Monitoring the Movements of Juvenile Pacific Lamprey in the Yakima River using Acoustic Telemetry
Lead Companies
Bureau of Reclamation
Lead Researcher (s)
- Patrick Monk
The primary objectives of this project are to (1) test a non-commercially available acoustic telemetry tag designed for Pacific lamprey, and (2) to monitor the movements of juvenile lamprey in the Yakima River and in the Columbia River in order to better understand these unique fish and to inform future management actions. Entrainment of migrating lamprey in to canals and potentially through fish screens is considered a significant threat for Pacific Lamprey in the Yakima Subbasin This is the only type of study that will be able to finally provide answers about the rate of entrainment into the diversion, and rate of return through the bypass. Predation is also another critical threat for Pacific Lamprey. Recent studies on Northern Pike Minnow predation in the lower Columbia River have continuously shown that predation on juvenile Pacific Lamprey, despite the depressed numbers of lamprey, happens as frequently or more frequently than juvenile salmonid predation.
Technology Application
Conventional Hydro
Research Category
Environmental and Sustainability
Research Sub-Category
Fish and Aquatic Resources
Status
ongoing
Completion Date
2021
- Small or Non Conventional Hydro
National Conduit Resource Assessment
Lead Companies
Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL)
Lead Researcher (s)
- Shih-Chieh Kao
Among various undeveloped hydropower resources classified by the US Department of Energy (DOE), the hydroelectricity potential from man-made water conduits (e.g., pipelines, aqueducts, irrigation ditches, and water conveyance canals) has been estimated as being relatively small but having the highest development feasibility. This type of small hydropower development does not require the construction of new dams or impoundments; involves minimum environmental concerns; entails reduced development risks; is eligible for net metering in most states, yielding high value for energy generated; and is likely to qualify for an expedited 45-day regulatory approval process through the Hydropower Regulatory Efficiency Act (HREA) of 2013 and its amendments in 2018. To help DOE and the broader hydropower industry quantify the total hydropower potentials from national conduits, a reconnaissance-level hydropower resource assessment will be conducted in this study covering three main conduit sectors (municipal, agricultural, and industrial). The assessment will leverage the best available data acquired through federal and state drinking water regulatory agencies, as well as novel remote sensing techniques for systematic identification of national canal drop sites. The final product will be a national conduit hydropower resource assessment report summarizing the total resource potentials at both state and county levels without revealing sensitive or proprietary information at any site.
Technology Application
Small or Non Conventional Hydro
Research Category
Research Sub-Category
Status
ongoing
Completion Date
TBD
- Marine Energy
National Lab and University Collaboration for MHK
Lead Companies
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Sandia National Laboratory (SNL)
Lead Researcher (s)
- Chirta Sivaraman, PNNL
- Budi Gunawan, SNL
This project will enable early-stage research that furthers the development of transformative, reliable, and cost competitive MHK technologies and reduce critical deployment barriers, as well as to meet the long-term goal of reducing the cost of energy of MRE systems. The deliverables will empower effective and efficient MRE early stage (and higher TRL) R&D by codifying relevant best-practice knowledge and experience, leverage prior instrumentation development efforts, and fill gaps to decrease the timelines and costs for commercially viable technology. It will help accelerate the development, acceptance and deployment of MHK technology by leveraging prior investments by DOE, the offshore engineering and measurement community, the MHK sector, and the Navy, as well as, verify solutions in upcoming DOE funded testing campaigns.
Technology Application
Marine Energy
Research Category
Technology
Research Sub-Category
Hydrokinetic
Status
ongoing
Completion Date
TBD
- Conventional Hydro
National Water Model Assessment for Reclamation’s Water Management Needs
Lead Companies
Bureau of Reclamation
Lead Researcher (s)
- Ken Nowak
Reclamation depends on streamflow forecasts across the temporal continuum of water management. As part of the recently launched NOAA National Water Initiative, the National Water Model (NWM) is being adopted. In the interest of being an informed user and exploring new potential water management utility of the NWM, Reclamation seeks to seize the opportunity to partner with NOAA at the outset of this new modeling framework. Understanding the NWM will be important for Reclamation as NOAA begins to use its output in forecasts.
Technology Application
Conventional Hydro
Research Category
Environmental and Sustainability
Research Sub-Category
Water Resources
Status
ongoing
Completion Date
2020
- Conventional Hydro
NC5 R&D Gap Analysis for Flexible Technology R&D Roadmap
Lead Companies
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
Lead Researcher (s)
- Daniel Deng
Technology Application
Conventional Hydro
Research Category
Environmental and Sustainability
Research Sub-Category
Fish and Aquatic Resources
Status
ongoing
Completion Date
TBD
- Conventional Hydro
New Hydropower Representation in Production Cost Models
Lead Companies
PNNL
Lead Researcher (s)
- Nathalie Voisin
This project focuses on improving the representation of hydropower in production cost models by informing the plant classification as a function of basin-scale hydrologic conditions, environmental constraints and grid economics signals that affect operational flexibility. The actionable results will provide a foundational basis for improving PCM methods for representing hydropower facilities in the context of the bulk power system’s (BPS) increasing needs for flexibility and evolving markets for grid services.
Technology Application
Conventional Hydro
Research Category
Interconnect Integration and Markets
Research Sub-Category
Status
ongoing
Completion Date
TBD
- Conventional Hydro
New Stream-Reach Development Hydropower Resource Assessment
Lead Companies
Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL)
Lead Researcher (s)
- Shih-Chieh Kao (kaos@ornl.gov)
The New Stream-reach Development Resource Assessment (NSD) uses an innovative geographic approach to analyze the potential for new hydropower development in US stream segments that do not currently have hydroelectric facilities. Developed and implemented by Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) for the DOE Water Power Technologies Office (WPTO), the assessments leverage recent advancements in various geographic datasets on topography, hydrology, and environmental characteristics to develop the highest resolution and most rigorous national evaluation of US hydropower potential to date. NSD assessments are not intended to determine economic feasibility or to justify financial investments in individual site development. The NSD does, however, identify high-energy intensity stream-reaches and classify new potential areas for hydropower development using a range of technical, socio-economic, and environmental characteristics.
Technology Application
Conventional Hydro
Research Category
Research Sub-Category
Status
complete
Completion Date
2014
- Marine Energy
Next Gen WEC PTO CO-Design
Lead Companies
Sandia National Laboratories
Lead Researcher (s)
- Ryan Coe
This work plan describes a project targeted at developing the next generation of wave energy converter (WEC) power take-off (PTO) systems by employing a “co-design” approach, in which predictionless WEC control is used to provide a framework for tuning system dynamics to minimize LCOE. This three year project will deliver dramatic reductions in LCOE by developing methods for co-design design of the full WEC system, which includes hydrodynamics, PTO, and control. WECs are unique from other existing energy generation technologies. Instead of converting relatively steady input mechanical energy that fluctuates about some mean (e.g., wind, nuclear, hydroelectric), WECs must absorb a purely oscillatory energy input. This unique quality necessitates the usage of advanced control to maximize energy generation and minimize levelized cost of energy (LCOE). Control strategies can be used to shape the dynamic response of a WEC to achieve resonance and increase energy absorption by as much as 200% (see, e.g., [1-3]). However, WECs comprise complex hydrodynamic, mechanical, electrical, and sometimes hydraulic subsystems, all of which must be properly designed to be capable of accurately implementing a control strategy in order to reap the benefits of advanced control. Additionally, energy absorption does not necessarily equate with energy generation.
Technology Application
Marine Energy
Research Category
Technology
Research Sub-Category
Wave
Status
ongoing
Completion Date
TBD
- Small or Non Conventional Hydro
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Have questions about WaRP?
Contact Marla Barnes at: marla@hydro.org