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- Conventional Hydro
Can better representation of low-elevation snowpack improve operational forecasts?
Lead Companies
Bureau of Reclamation
Lead Researcher (s)
- Dan Broman
To what extent do low-elevation snowpack contribute to streamflow forecast errors is current forecast models? What improvement in forecast skill can be gained by changing the spatial configuration of forecast models including improvements to their representation of low-elevation snow and to reservoir inflows? What improvement in forecast skill can be gained by incorporating in remotely-sensed and/or ground-based snow products into forecast models?
Technology Application
Conventional Hydro
Research Category
Interconnect Integration and Markets
Research Sub-Category
Hydraulic Forecasting
Status
ongoing
Completion Date
2020
- Conventional Hydro
Characterization of Hydropower Generation Attributes Relevant to Grid Reliability and Resilience [HydroWIRES]
Lead Companies
PNNL, INL, NREL, ORNL, ANL
Lead Researcher (s)
- Abhishek Somani, abhishek.somani@pnnl.gov
The U.S. power system is continuing to evolve both in terms of system composition, as well as the definition of and requirements for attributes related to reliability and resilience of operations. While conventional contributors to system reliability are being replaced by as-available and variable renewable energy resources, extreme events (e.g., man-made [cyberattacks] and natural) continue to afflict the power system on a more routine basis, causing damage and potential disruptions to the grid. Hence, the role of hydropower in meeting reliability and resilience needs will become even more important. This project will develop frameworks, evaluation methodologies, and tools to identify hydropower’s contribution to grid reliability and resilience. These methods will be demonstrated through various use cases representing a variety of future grid conditions and extreme event scenarios. The project will also provide insights into the specific operational and design attributes of hydropower resources that may need to be adapted to ensure that resources are best equipped to meet the power system’s reliability and resilience needs. Technology Application
Conventional Hydro
Research Category
Interconnect Integration and Markets
Research Sub-Category
Future Grid
Status
ongoing
Completion Date
TBD
- Conventional Hydro
Characterizing the Predictability and Sensitivity of Streamflow to Monsoon Season Precipitation
Lead Companies
Bureau of Reclamation
Lead Researcher (s)
- Dagmar Llewellyn
Research Need: In the Western US, warm-season precipitation has historically provided a secondary water source to snowmelt runoff (Serreze et al., 1999). However, increasing temperatures and decreasing snowpack suggest that it may gain importance for water resources management. As such, there is an interest in understanding the predictability of warm-season precipitation, as well as the sensitivity of water resources and management to this source. Understanding the predictability of warm-season precipitation is of particular interest in the U.S. Southwest, a region that is influenced by the North American Monsoon in summer (Adams and Comrie 1997). One of the barriers to using monsoon forecasts has been their low skill in simulating precipitation. However, it has been recommended that any examination of monsoon should consider large-scale circulation, rather than examining precipitation directly (Seneviratne et al. 2012). To this point, Prein (2019) identified large-scale conditions over the U.S. Southwest associated with monsoon precipitation anomalies, and found that they are robustly captured by NCAR's Community Earth System Model (CESM) and other general circulation models. This provides motivation to evaluate monsoon circulation patterns in forecast ensemble products.
Technology Application
Conventional Hydro
Research Category
Interconnect Integration and Markets
Research Sub-Category
Hydraulic Forecasting
Status
ongoing
Completion Date
2022
- Conventional Hydro
Climate Influences on Capacity Expansion Planning with Application to the Western U.S.
Lead Companies
NREL
Lead Researcher (s)
- Stuart Cohen, stuart.cohen@nrel.gov
Electric power system planners utilize a variety of planning tools to inform decisions concerning generation and transmission additions to the electric grid, the need for operational changes, and to evaluate potential stressors on the system. Numerous factors contribute to the planning process including projected fuel and technology costs, policy and load profiles. There is also a growing recognition of the interdependency of the electric grid with other natural and engineered systems. Here we explore how future climate change and hydropower operability might influence decisions related to electricity capacity expansion planning and operations. To do so we assemble a multi-model framework. Specifically, water resource modeling is used to simulate climate impacts on future water supply for thermoelectric and hydropower generation. Separately, temperature impacts on electricity load are evaluated. Together, these climate factors spatially constrain a capacity expansion model that projects generation and transmission additions to the grid. The projected new capacity-builds are then evaluated on their operations, reliability, and cost under average and extreme climate conditions using production cost modeling. This coupled framework is demonstrated on the electric grid in the Western U.S., supporting capacity expansion planning by WECC, the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) regional entity responsible for reliability.
Technology Application
Conventional Hydro
Research Category
Research Sub-Category
Climate Change
Status
complete
Completion Date
2021
- Conventional Hydro
Cold Spray
Lead Companies
PNNL
Lead Researcher (s)
- Chris Smith
Technology for cavitation repair, cold spray repairs involve the impact of high-velocity particulates with the subject material, which strike with such a high speed that they bond with the chemical structure of the substrate. This has the promise of improved performance and ease of repair over other conventional applications.
Technology Application
Conventional Hydro
Research Category
Powerhouse Equipment
Research Sub-Category
Turbine
Status
ongoing
Completion Date
TBD
- Conventional Hydro
Cold Spray Process Development in -situ Repair of Hydroturbines
Lead Companies
PNNL
Lead Researcher (s)
- Chris Smith
The first goal of this project is to produce an optimized cold spray process for cavitation resistance that represents an additional 50% improvement over cold spray processes tested in PNNL’s current cavitation repair program. The second goal is to include the optimized cold spray process, developed as part of this TCF project, in field testing that is being developed as part of a Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) Technology Innovation (TI) project.
Technology Application
Conventional Hydro
Research Category
Powerhouse Equipment
Research Sub-Category
Turbine
Status
ongoing
Completion Date
TBD
- Conventional Hydro
Commissioning Guide for Hydroelectric Generating Stations
Lead Companies
CEATI International
Lead Researcher (s)
- #0386
to provide general guidelines, best practices, and typical reference procedures to assist engineers in understanding, planning, and carrying out the commissioning of major equipment for hydroelectric stations.
Technology Application
Conventional Hydro
Research Category
Powerhouse Equipment
Research Sub-Category
Status
complete
Completion Date
2020
- Conventional Hydro
Commissioning Guide for Hydroelectric Stations Auxiliary Systems and Equipment
Lead Companies
CEATI International
Lead Researcher (s)
- #0398
This guide will provide general guidelines, best practices, and typical reference procedures to assist engineers in understanding, planning, and carrying out the commissioning of auxiliary systems and equipment for hydroelectric stations.
Technology Application
Conventional Hydro
Research Category
Powerhouse Equipment
Research Sub-Category
Status
ongoing
Completion Date
Expected 2020
- Conventional Hydro
Comparison of next-generation DNA sequencing to traditional morphological identification for environmental monitoring
Lead Companies
Bureau of Reclamation
Lead Researcher (s)
- Sherri Pucherelli
This research will help determine the benefits, limitations, and accuracy of next-generation DNA sequencing in comparison to traditional taxonomic methods. Macroinvertebrate samples collected from wetlands in Folsom, CA, that were previously identified by a taxonomist, will be analyzed by next-generation sequencing (NGS). DNA will be extracted from both the isopropanol supernatant, used as the fixative and storage media for the samples, and from pooled and macerated macroinvertebrate tissue.The results of this study will help determine how next-generation sequencing can be used to benefit Reclamation projects that require environmental monitoring in response to construction activities, invasive species, habitat restoration, and water treatment.
Technology Application
Conventional Hydro
Research Category
Environmental and Sustainability
Research Sub-Category
Fish and Aquatic Resources
Status
ongoing
Completion Date
2020
Don’t see your waterpower research?
Have questions about WaRP?
Contact Marla Barnes at: marla@hydro.org