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A Methodology to Assess the Value of Integrated Hydropower and Wind Generation
Lead Companies
The University of Colorado - Boulder
Lead Researcher (s)
- Mitch Clement
Installed wind generation capacity has increased at a rapid rate in recent years. Wind generation provides numerous economic, social and environmental benefits, but it also carries inherent variability and uncertainty, which can increase the need for additional balancing reserves, generation resources that can adjust their output rapidly to keep power supply in balance with demand. Hydropower is an inexpensive and flexible generating resource that has been considered one of the best resources to provide the necessary balancing reserves for wind. Hydropower’s flexibility and capacity are limited, however, by non-power constraints associated with environmental and water management objectives that have not been fully accounted for in previous wind integration studies. We present a methodology to evaluate hydropower and wind integration using the RiverWare river system and hydropower modeling tool. The model represents both the physical characteristics of the hydropower system and accounts for realistic non-power policy constraints. An economic evaluation is provided that includes the value of both energy and ancillary services. In addition, operational outputs include the ability to satisfy all policy constraints. The methodology is applied to a test case integrated hydropower and wind generation system including five hydropower projects in a run-of-river configuration for a range of wind penetration levels and hydrologic conditions. Results show that wind at low penetrations adds economic value to the system. As the installed capacity increases, additional wind generation has diminishing returns, primarily due to increased reserve requirements. Increased wind capacity also causes increases the number of policy constraint violations. Non-power constraints have a significant impact on total system value, but that relative impact varies depending on system conditions. Complex interactions between policy and the physical system result in a highly non-linear response of the system to changes in wind penetration. Utilization of goal programming makes it possible to capture these effects that would be missed without a realistic representation of both the integrated physical system and its operating policy. This methodology can be used to provide an improved representation of hydropower systems in future wind integration studies.
Technology Application
Conventional Hydro
Research Category
Interconnect Integration and Markets
Research Sub-Category
Renewable Integration
Status
complete
Completion Date
2012
- Conventional Hydro
A Stochastic Dynamic Programming Approach to Balancing Wind Intermittency with Hydropower
Lead Companies
Cornell University
Lead Researcher (s)
- Sue Nee Tan
Hydropower is a fast responding energy source and thus a perfect complement to the intermittency of wind power. However, the eect wind energy has on conventional hydropower systems can be felt, especially if the system is subject to several other environmental and maintenance constraints. The goal of this paper is to develop a general method for optimizing hydropower operations of a realistic multireservoir hydropower system in a deregulated market setting when there is a stochastic wind input. The approach used is stochastic dynamic programming (SDP). Currently, studies on hydropower operations optimization with wind have involved linear programming or stochastic programming, which are based on linearity. SDP, by contrast, is a stochastic optimization method that does not require assumptions of linearity of the objective function. The true adaptive and stochastic nonlinear formulation of the objective function can be applied to multiple time steps, and is effcient for many time steps compared to stochastic programming. The preliminary results for the deterministic optimization demonstrates the potential of this method to guide operation of the hydro system knowing the state of the system. The research will continue with optimizing under uncertain inflows as well as wind.
Technology Application
Conventional Hydro
Research Category
Interconnect Integration and Markets
Research Sub-Category
Renewable Integration
Status
complete
Completion Date
2013
- Conventional Hydro
An Advanced Study of Wind Power Variability on the Federal Columbia River Power System
Lead Companies
Oregon State University
Lead Researcher (s)
- Kelcy Lajoie
Renewable energy, particularly wind power, has increased dramatically over the past two decades. In the Pacific Northwest, the power system has accommodated a large amount of new wind power. The variability of wind power has introduced many challenges, requiring additional reserve generation to be available to maintain system stability. The primary source for reserves is the Federal Columbia River Power System, and the aging dams of this system are believed to be near their limit for providing this service. This paper will explore the dynamics of the power system as a whole, and investigate the relationships that wind power has to the rest of the power system. Several types of studies have been used to examine these relationships including Maximal Information Coefficient analysis, Correlation analysis, and Regression analysis. The results of these analyses demonstrate that the dynamics of the power system changed as wind power was added to the system. The results will also show that the power system is increasingly reliant on resources other than hydropower, including thermal power and interties to California and Canada, to provide balancing reserves for wind power.
Technology Application
Conventional Hydro
Research Category
Interconnect Integration and Markets
Research Sub-Category
Renewable Integration
Status
complete
Completion Date
2014
- Conventional Hydro
Annex IX
Lead Companies
PNNL
Lead Researcher (s)
- Abhishek Somani
This project aims to explore the unique role of hydropower in producing significant amounts of firm renewable energy and storage to support VRE’s, and providing flexible energy services to support electricity systems – collectively termed ‘hydro balancing’. Specifically, Phase 2 will develop an understanding of two key strategic themes: (1) How hydropower may be valued in future electricity market scenarios, and (2) How hydropower may be valued in providing climate change adaptation services (e.g. flood control).Phase 2 will capture the contribution of hydropower by documenting the capabilities, challenges, opportunities, and market structures for compensating hydropower services in TCP member countries as well as additional countries recruited to the effort.
Technology Application
Conventional Hydro
Research Category
Interconnect Integration and Markets
Research Sub-Category
Renewable Integration
Status
ongoing
Completion Date
TBD
- Conventional Hydro
Energy Storage & International Development
Lead Companies
Carnegie Mellon University
Lead Researcher (s)
- Jesse Thornburg
Developing world microgrids often balance insufficient supply with growing, unpredictable demand. Deterministic and probabilistic simulators exist to model these microgrids, and each focuses on different technical aspects. With the addition of smart meters into microgrids, monitoring and control is now available at high granularity, which enriches microgrid planning and operation. This research is designing a new simulator to model smart microgrids with discrete probability distributions as supply and demand inputs. In our model, smart meters allow real-time power clipping for demand side management, effectively smoothing the system load curve as needed. To compare clipping schemes for grid operation and generation mixes for planning, we aggregate inputs by convolution then compute expected energy sold and probability of avoiding power cuts. The simulator plots these values for different combinations of power clipping threshold and number of customers clipped.
Technology Application
Conventional Hydro
Research Category
Interconnect Integration and Markets
Research Sub-Category
Renewable Integration
Status
complete
Completion Date
2018
- Conventional Hydro
Grid and Market Integration of Hydropower and Wind Energy: Challenges and Opportunities [HydroWIRES]
Lead Companies
ANL
Lead Researcher (s)
- Audun Botterud, abotterud@anl.gov
This project seeks to build an archive of case studies documenting the co-existence of hydropower and wind turbines across the U.S. and Norway, while also investigating challenges and opportunities for hydropower resources as wind penetration increases. This work will be instrumental in identifying locations in both countries that may be prone to facing these challenges in the future. This project will increase foundational understanding of the combination of hydropower and wind turbines, in turn helping to advise future projects of this nature. This work will be pursued under the framework of DOE’s memorandum of understanding with Norway’s Royal Ministry of Petroleum and Energy. Technology Application
Conventional Hydro
Research Category
Interconnect Integration and Markets
Research Sub-Category
Renewable Integration
Status
ongoing
Completion Date
TBD
- Conventional Hydro
Hydropower Flexibility Framework
Lead Companies
EPRI
Lead Researcher (s)
- Joe Stekli
develop an industry‐recognized methodology and framework for calculating the flexibility that hydropower assets can provide
Technology Application
Conventional Hydro
Research Category
Interconnect Integration and Markets
Research Sub-Category
Renewable Integration
Status
ongoing
Completion Date
TBD
- Conventional Hydro
Hydropower Flexibility Framework [HydroWIRES]
Lead Companies
EPRI
Lead Researcher (s)
- Francisco Kuljevan, fkuljevan@epri.com
As the generation mix on the grid shifts towards VRE, flexibility services are increasingly in demand. Maintaining reliability and resilience in this context requires operators and regulators to be able to accurately assess exactly how much flexibility exists in the hydropower fleet. This project will develop an industry-recognized methodology and framework for calculating the flexibility that hydropower assets can provide, demonstrate the validity of the approaches and the viability of comprehensive application across the fleet, and establish a platform for future flexibility assessments. Technology Application
Conventional Hydro
Research Category
Interconnect Integration and Markets
Research Sub-Category
Renewable Integration
Status
ongoing
Completion Date
TBD
- Pumped Storage
Hydropower Valuation Guidance and Research Program Review
Lead Companies
PNNL
Lead Researcher (s)
- Patrick Balducci
The objective of this project is to advance the state of the art in assessing the value of PSH plants and their contributions to the power system. The specific goal is to develop a detailed, step-by-step valuation guidebook that PSH developers, plant owners or operators, and other stakeholders can use to assess the value of existing or potential new PSH projects.
Technology Application
Pumped Storage
Research Category
Interconnect Integration and Markets
Research Sub-Category
Renewable Integration
Status
ongoing
Completion Date
TBD
- Conventional Hydro
HydroWIRES Collaborative
Lead Companies
PNNL
Lead Researcher (s)
- Alison Colotelo
The HydroWIRES (Water Innovation for a Resilient Electricity System) portfolio is organized into four interrelated research areas: 1) Value under Evolving System Conditions, 2) Capabilities and Constraints, 3) Operations and Planning, and 4) Technology Innovation. The mission of HydroWIRES (https://energy.gov/hydrowires) is to understand, enable, and improve hydropower’s contributions to reliability, resilience, and integration in a rapidly evolving electricity system. The initiative includes five national laboratories, PNNL brings expertise in valuation, market analysis, and grid integration and environmental performance of hydropower. Specifically, how hydropower capabilities contribute to the future grid and the capabilities and constraints of hydropower operations.
Technology Application
Conventional Hydro
Research Category
Interconnect Integration and Markets
Research Sub-Category
Renewable Integration
Status
ongoing
Completion Date
TBD
Don’t see your waterpower research?
Have questions about WaRP?
Contact Marla Barnes at: marla@hydro.org