Examining the Net Revenue and Downstream Flow Impact Trade-Offs for a Network of Cascading, Small-Scale Hydropower Facilities: Preprint

Michael Craig, Zin Zhao, Gia Schneider, Abe Schneider, Sterling Watson, Gregory Stark

Research output: Contribution to conferencePaper

Abstract

In this work, we used a price-taker model to investigate the trade-offs between net revenue and downstream flow impacts for a network of small, cascading hydro facilities. The network consisted of 36 facilities, each with a small amount of local storage (between 2 and 45 minutes). Generator sizes ranged between 0.5 and 1 MW, nominal, and the total capacity of the network was 33.5 MW. We used a multi-integer linear programing model to maximize the net revenue of the combined network subject to operating and environmental constraints. Net revenue optimizations relied on historic price data, and dry, typical, and wet years were studied to help ensure robustness. Energy and ancillary service sales were included in the net revenue calculations, and both unit commitment and dispatch simulations were performed. We found that limiting the downstream flows to ±50% of the river’s natural flows had a negligible impact on net revenues (<1% reduction), irrespective of hydrologic conditions, and even when downstream flows were limited to ±5%, net revenues were only impacted by 4%. These outcomes are significant because they demonstrate how an array of small-scale hydropower facilities can be operated to have minimal impact on natural stream flows—addressing a critical environmental concern.
Original languageAmerican English
Number of pages11
StatePublished - 2020
EventHydroVision International - Portland, Oregon
Duration: 23 Jul 201925 Jul 2019

Conference

ConferenceHydroVision International
CityPortland, Oregon
Period23/07/1925/07/19

NREL Publication Number

  • NREL/CP-5000-74274

Keywords

  • downstream flow
  • hydropower
  • trade-offs
  • water power

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