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- Conventional Hydro
Hydro-Based Microgrids to Support Grid Resiliency during Wildfires [HydroWIRES]
Lead Companies
PNNL
Lead Researcher (s)
- Abhishek Somani, abhishek.somani@pnnl.gov
As wildfires are becoming more severe and commonplace in the U.S., researchers are evaluating how to mitigate the impacts from west coast wildfires on the grid since power is often critical for life-saving services. This project will create a framework to leverage hydropower resources to ensure grid resilience during and after wildfire events. Technology Application
Conventional Hydro
Research Category
Regulatory Management Process
Research Sub-Category
Asset Management
Status
ongoing
Completion Date
TBD
- Conventional Hydro
Hydropower Fleet Intelligence
Lead Companies
Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL)
Lead Researcher (s)
- Pradeep Ramuhalli (ramuhallip@ornl.gov)
Hydropower Fleet Intelligence (HFI) provides tools for analysis to identify patterns, trends, and relationships between unit configuration, operations and maintenance (O&M) costs, equipment condition, dispatch history, and other asset data. The project also benchmarks data sets with industry-wide data and provides insights into the impacts of evolving operational contexts on O&M practices and costs. This capability allows hydropower asset managers to use data and predictive models to make better decisions regarding operations and maintenance to increase asset reliability and extend asset lifetimes while minimizing the cost of operations and maintenance.
Technology Application
Conventional Hydro
Research Category
Powerhouse Equipment
Research Sub-Category
Asset Management
Status
ongoing
Completion Date
TBD
- Conventional Hydro
Hydropower Operations in the Colorado River Basin: Institutional Analysis of Opportunities and Constraints
Lead Companies
University of Arizona
Lead Researcher (s)
- Surabhi Karambelkar
The Colorado River Basin is facing an unprecedented drought. In ongoing drought management efforts, limited attention has been paid to hydropower generation. While some studies do exist on hydropower, they are quantitative in nature and focus on calculating the reduction in megawatts generated at dams in the Basin with declining water availability. These studies simplify the complex process of hydropower generation; water availability is but one factor that impacts hydropower generation. At a more fundamental level, formal institutional arrangements, that is, laws, policies, and rules create the framework within which dams are operated and hydropower is generated. This paper conducts a comparative institutional analysis of water, environment, and energy laws and policies and changes therein to understand the constraints and opportunities faced by hydropower generation in the Colorado River Basin. To tease out the nuances in how institutional arrangements affect dam operations and hydropower generation, the comparative analysis focuses on the two largest and strategically important dams in the Basin: Hoover and Glen Canyon. This paper uses Elinor Ostrom’s Institutional Analysis and Development Framework to analyze laws and policies at three levels: constitutional-choice, collective-choice, and operational levels. Constitutional-choice level laws and policies apply to the entire Basin, whereas collective-choice level and operational level laws and policies are dam specific. Hoover and Glen Canyon Dams face similar biophysical challenges by the virtue of their location in the same river basin. Yet, despite the similarity in the biophysical setting, the analysis in this study finds that the differences in the applicability of constitutional-choice level laws along with the differences in dam specific collective-choice and operational level institutional arrangements produce a distinct set of constraints for hydropower generation at Hoover and Glen Canyon Dams. Even without a drought, water and environmental laws at both the constitutionalchoice and collective choice levels as well as power contracts constrain hydropower generation and limit the flexibility with which Glen Canyon Dam can be operated. Water and environmental laws also impose specific water release requirements that, at times, require off-peak power generation at Glen Canyon Dam. On the other hand, even with a drought, Hoover Dam faces limited hydropower generation constraints and can operate flexibly. This is because constitutional-choice level laws and dam-specific collective-choice and operational level laws pose limited constraints for flexible daily operations at Hoover. The result is that Hoover Dam can generate hydropower at the same level as it did three decades ago and operate flexibly to provide ancillary services and peaking generation. While water and environmental laws and policies pose constraints for hydropower generation, the analysis in this study further finds that specific historic provisions within energyrelated institutional arrangements and recent changes within power contracts have maintained and even enhanced the value of hydropower to power customers. Historic institutional provisions ensure that hydropower is sold ‘at cost’ making this resource economically competitive with wholesale electricity market rates. Recent power contract modifications have resulted in the amendment of an older resale prohibition clause to expand the flexibility available to power customers in using their capacity and/or energy allocation in RTOs, ISOs, and bulk power markets. This amendment has opened up an opportunity for customers, especially Hoover power customers, to use flexible generation and ancillary services in a market environment. In addition, the extension of power contract duration to the legally maximum term has enhanced the reliability and stability of this resource for customers. In the Colorado River Basin, despite the enduring economic responsibility of power customers—where laws require customers to pay for a large portion of construction and O&M costs whether or not they actually receive hydropower— the persistent threat of a drought-induced water shortage, and constraints imposed by water and environmental laws and policies, power customers continue to invest in this resource as energy-related institutional arrangements and power contract provisions protect the reasons why they value hydropower. Lastly, the analysis in this study finds that the consequences of changes in hydropower generation for energy users, irrigators, and environmental programs in the Basin depend on how specific institutional arrangements tie electricity revenues to irrigation aid and environmental programs, and how the power contracts themselves are set up. Collective-choice level institutional arrangements create a higher level of financial dependency of irrigation aid and environmental programs on electricity revenues in the Upper Basin—the legal subdivision of Colorado River where Glen Canyon Dam is located—compared to the Lower Basin—the legal subdivision of Colorado River where Hoover Dam is located. Therefore, changes in hydropower generation or the way its revenue is collected and used will have far reacting detrimental consequences for the Upper Basin. Likewise, differences in the nature of power contracts for Glen Canyon and Hoover Dams also creates differences in the financial impact incurred by energy users when there is a reduction in hydropower generation. While this study identifies the types of impacts on resource users as a result of specific institutional arrangements, the calculation of extent of impact warrants further attention. Hydropower in the United States is in a unique position today. The strategic importance of this resource for the nation’s electricity sector is rapidly growing even as its contribution to overall electricity generation remains fairly small. This strategic importance, however, is built hydropower’s ability to operate flexibly in order to support the integration of intermittent renewable generating sources and the expansion of electricity markets. As this study shows, such flexibility may not be available at certain plants not due to the lack of water availability but because of institutional constraints. Institutional arrangements may also require dam operators to first consider high priority water uses (such as irrigation or environmental needs), which in turn may limit the ability to generate hydropower when it is most valuable or useful. Engineering and quantitative models, such as production cost models, recognize policy constraints for hydropower operations but often inadequately capture or assume away such constraints in the models. A failure to account for policy constraints in these models runs the risk of inaccurate representation of the operational flexibility and capacity available at specific hydropower plants, which can result in over/underestimation of hydropower’s ability to support the integration of variable renewable resources and address grid reliability concerns. Against this background, this paper and the analysis herein serves as an example of how we can systematically identify institutional constraints (and opportunities) that influence the flexibility in not only generating electricity at specific dams but also using this hydropower once it is generated.
Technology Application
Conventional Hydro
Research Category
Powerhouse Equipment
Research Sub-Category
Asset Management
Status
complete
Completion Date
2018
- Conventional Hydro
Methodology to Reduce the Strain on Hydro Turbines Using Advanced Life Extending Control of Multiple Energy Storage Systems
Lead Companies
Oregon State University
Lead Researcher (s)
- Sean Brosig
Over the last 20 years, there has been rapid growth in the amount of installed wind power in the Pacific Northwest, specifically in the Columbia River Gorge. The variable and non-dispatchable nature of this resource requires that it be balanced in some form by other sources on the grid. In the Northwest specifically, the most relied upon generation sources have been hydropower units. However, it is thought that heavy reliance upon hydropower units to rapidly change their output to provide balancing increases the wear and tear on different components of these machines. This research aims to quantify damage incurred on these units in real time through a Real-time Damage Incurrence (RDI) model and minimize this damage and its associated cost through integration of Energy Storage using Advanced Life Extending Control (LEC). First, the relationship between wind power and hydroelectric power generation is investigated. The RDI model for hydropower units as well as multiple Energy Storage System (ESS) technologies is then developed, and LEC is implemented and simulated, resulting in significant reduction of damage incurrence and total cost of damage incurrence up to 10% in some cases.
Technology Application
Conventional Hydro
Research Category
Powerhouse Equipment
Research Sub-Category
Asset Management
Status
complete
Completion Date
2013
- Conventional Hydro
Real-Time Condition Health Monitoring and its Application to Hydro Turbines
Lead Companies
Colorado School of Mines
Lead Researcher (s)
- Samuel Dyas
Hydroelectric power has been the number one renewable energy source in the U.S. since the beginning of the industrial revolution and continues to be today. Hydroelectricity is a critical component in the power production grid to keep greenhouse gas emissions and pollution minimized. As such, it is crucial that unexpected shutdowns and unplanned maintenance of hydropower turbines be kept to a minimum, so as to maximize hydroelectricity production. This thesis aims to investigate condition health monitoring (CHM) methods specifically designed for non-intrusive cavitation detection within hydropower turbines. Cavitation is a highly damaging phenomenon common within turbines. When allowed to continue undetected over an extended period of time, cavitation can lead to severe and crippling effects for efficient operation. The application of CHM will lead to less downtime and ultimately more electrical production from hydropower turbines, resulting in the maximization of the U.S.’s number one renewable energy source’s potential. An instrumented cavitation inducing apparatus was designed and built for laboratory testing. The goal of the cavitation inducing apparatus was to produce both non-cavitating and cavitating flows within the available flow range. Also, it was critical for the apparatus to be simple and allow the instrumentation utilized to be placed as close as possible to the cavitation within the flow. Instrumentation including pressure transducers, accelerometers and acoustic emission sensors were used to non-intrusively record cavitation signals from the cavitation apparatus. Multiple signal processing techniques, spanning both the time and frequency domains were utilized to develop methods and metrics to quantify the cavitation monitoring data. Most of the techniques are well documented, including analyzing the root mean square values of the signals and utilizing the Fast Fourier Transform for frequency domain analysis. There were also some signal processing techniques developed throughout this project, specifically for cavitation monitoring. The metrics and methods developed proved successful at identifying volatile flow rates and subsequently the onset of cavitation state change with the flow. It was also determined that time domain signal processing techniques were more successful at cavitation characterization than frequency domain techniques. There is confidence the methods developed for non-intrusive cavitation monitoring through this thesis could be easy transferred to on-site operational test data received from a cavitating turbine and successfully diagnose the onset of cavitation with the flow range.
Technology Application
Conventional Hydro
Research Category
Powerhouse Equipment
Research Sub-Category
Asset Management
Status
complete
Completion Date
2013
- Conventional Hydro
TIP 407: EPRI: Flexible Operation of Hydropower Assets
Lead Companies
EPRI
Lead Researcher (s)
- George Brown, BPA
This project intends to create new learnings by assessing the extent of the accelerated wear and fatigue caused by increased flexible operation and hydro asset cycling damage mechanisms. The research aims to provide hydro owners and operators with information necessary to make educated decisions for operating regimes and the costs associated with them. This project focuses strictly on the needs of generating equipment used in conventional and pumped-storage hydropower.
Technology Application
Conventional Hydro
Research Category
Regulatory Management Process
Research Sub-Category
Asset Management
Status
ongoing
Completion Date
2020
- Conventional Hydro
TIP 414: CEATI – Hydraulic Plant Life Interest Group (HPLIG)
Lead Companies
CEATI
Lead Researcher (s)
- George Brown, BPA
There is also an increasing emphasis on the requirement for capital investments in equipment and parts replacement to ensure outage times for equipment repair and maintenance are optimized. Return on investment will need to be protected and enhanced in part by program improvements such as refurbishment or replacement of inefficient units with new high efficiency ones; improvements in the design of intake, flow passage, and tailrace hydraulics; and better tools for measuring productivity improvements achieved with planned initiatives. Further ongoing reductions of capital outlay to ensure the continued production of low cost energy will require the development of improved maintenance and repair techniques. Such techniques are seen as using new processes and materials to extend equipment life. These procedures can speed up the repair process to reduce outage times, while condition assessment, equipment diagnosis, and monitoring can optimize “just in time” maintenance.
Technology Application
Conventional Hydro
Research Category
Regulatory Management Process
Research Sub-Category
Asset Management
Status
ongoing
Completion Date
2020
- Conventional Hydro
TIP 415: CEATI – Asset Management in Generation Program (AMIG)
Lead Companies
CEATI
Lead Researcher (s)
- Gordon Ashby, BPA
The Asset Management Interest Group (AMIG) provides real life examples and direction to implementing Asset Management in hydro-electric utilities. AMIG builds upon work completed by the Asset Management Task Force that was initiated as part of the Hydraulic Plant Life Interest Group in 2011. The group covers all aspects of Asset Management, from the development of policies and strategies, to risk frameworks, asset management plans, and investment management, to achieve strategic objectives. The group considers inputs from all Asset Management standards and the diverse experience of international members to move asset management forward for all members. Topics and projects are user-driven to provide value to members at all stages of the Asset Management journey.
Technology Application
Conventional Hydro
Research Category
Regulatory Management Process
Research Sub-Category
Asset Management
Status
ongoing
Completion Date
2020
- Conventional Hydro
Water Risk for the Bulk Power System: Asset to Grid Impacts
Lead Companies
Sandia National Laboratories
Lead Researcher (s)
- Vince Tidwell
The majority of electricity generation in the United States (U.S.) is based on thermal and hydro power assets (90%, combined). The economic operations of hydropower assets, and the power grid, are affected by water availability, ambient temperatures, climate extremes (flood and drought), and water regulations, all of which have region-specific characteristics. A lack of water and/or warm temperatures can lower the available capacity at thermal and hydro assets and pose risks to the reliable operation of regional power systems. Future conditions are expected to significantly change and “accelerate” the hydrologic cycle, affecting both the timing of water availability and the temperature, exacerbating various risks to the power sector. Yet, there is no standardized, consistent mechanism for utilities and other stakeholders to understand how evolving predictive climate and hydrologic science can be translated to evaluate various potential water-related risks of their current grid assets (thermal, hydro) and future investment decisions.
Technology Application
Conventional Hydro
Research Category
Interconnect Integration and Markets
Research Sub-Category
Asset Management
Status
ongoing
Completion Date
TBD
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Contact Marla Barnes at: marla@hydro.org