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- Conventional Hydro
Determination of Optimal Operating Schemes for a Multi-Reservoir System Under Environmental Constraints
Lead Companies
Vanderbilt University
Lead Researcher (s)
- Hydropower Foundation
In stratified reservoirs, both dam tailwater discharge and thermal plant intake water quality and temperature can be highly dependent on structure depth. A twodimensional laterally-averaged model allows for better prediction of water quality over time at specific depths. Because high-fidelity models are typically too computationally expensive for direct inclusion within optimization algorithms, water quality is incorporated using one dimensional models are simple flow requirements. Water quality predictions can be incorporated within the optimization process through using surrogate modeling methods, in this application artificial neural network (ANN) models. ANNs are flexible machine learning tools for function approximation composed of a structure of neurons assembled within a multi-layer architecture. They are capable of handling large amounts of training data and modeling nonlinear dynamic systems, making ANNs a well-suited method for this application. This report illustrates the development of ANN models to emulate the hydrodynamic and water quality modeling capabilities of the high-fidelity, two-dimensional CE-QUAL-W2 (W2) model, as well as a linked riverine reservoir system optimization process which accounts for energy generation, water balance and hydraulics, and compliance point water quality. A process for hourly hydropower generation planning is demonstrated on a pair of reservoirs linked in series. The two reservoirs are U.S. Army Corps of Engineers projects with hydropower capabilities on the Cumberland River near Nashville, Tennessee, USA. The content presented here is largely a combination of technical papers previously presented at the HydroVision International conference (Shaw et al., 2015, 2016).
Technology Application
Conventional Hydro
Research Category
Interconnect Integration and Markets
Research Sub-Category
Hydraulic Forecasting
Status
complete
Completion Date
2016
- Conventional Hydro
Enhancing the representation of conventional hydropower flexibility in production cost models [HydroWIRES]
Lead Companies
PNNL, ANL, INL, ORNL
Lead Researcher (s)
- Nathalie Voisin, Nathalie.voisin@pnnl.gov
Hydropower is in high demand from a power grid coordination perspective because of its operational and economic characteristics. But production cost models (PCMs)—a tool traditionally used to plan and optimize power generation sources to meet demand within security constraints at the lowest cost—currently oversimplify hydropower operations. As part of the HydroWIRES Initiative, researchers from PNNL, ANL, and ORNL are teaming with the Center for Advanced Decision Support for Water and Environmental Systems to improve the representation of hydropower operations in PCMs across regional power grids. The PNNL-led team is leveraging large-scale, integrated water-modeling tools and unit commitment models to build a module that characterizes potential hydropower operations based on daily hydrologic conditions, regulatory water management compliance rules, and economic signals. This module, referred to as “dynamic classification” by PCM modelers, will support more robust PCM-based studies. The dynamic classification will be developed over the western United States as proof of concept. Results from this effort will guide future model development and research to improve generator fleet dispatch, scheduling, and planning, toward the goal of better co-optimizing water and energy systems. Technology Application
Conventional Hydro
Research Category
Interconnect Integration and Markets
Research Sub-Category
Hydraulic Optimization
Status
ongoing
Completion Date
TBD
- Marine Energy
Environmental Compliance Cost Analysis (Marine Energy Environmental Compliance)
Lead Companies
Sandia National Laboratories
Lead Researcher (s)
- Jesse Roberts
The marine and hydrokinetic (MHK) industry has a vital role in the U.S. clean energy strategy by providing a renewable, domestic energy source that can help meet the U.S. national demand by offsetting the need for traditional power sources that support foreign dependencies and can have detrimental long-term impacts on the environment that put the U.S. at risk. As the MHK industry evolves with new technologies, improved business model paradigms, and expected grid features (i.e., reliability, resilience, flexibility, sustainability, affordability, and security), costs for environmental compliance need to be delineated and reduced to realize MHK’s potential contributions to the U.S. energy portfolio. Licensing, permitting, and other compliance process costs are not well understood; therefore, strategies to reduce costs cannot be formulated and implemented effectively. The important issue addressed here is to delineate and quantify costs for permitting and licensing, including monitoring and adaptive management, and to develop cost reduction pathways and strategies that enable emerging MHK technologies to attain utility scale contributions to our nation’s renewable energy portfolio.
Technology Application
Marine Energy
Research Category
Regulatory Management Process
Research Sub-Category
Hydrokinetic
Status
complete
Completion Date
2021
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Contact Marla Barnes at: marla@hydro.org