Hydro Dam¤
Introduction¤
General¤
Hydropower or water power is power derived from the energy of falling or fast-running water, which may be harnessed for useful purposes 5. A hydropower resource can be evaluated by its available power. Power is a function of the hydraulic head and volumetric flow rate. The head is the energy per unit weight (or unit mass) of water. The static head is proportional to the difference in height through which the water falls. Dynamic head is related to the velocity of moving water. Each unit of water can do an amount of work equal to its weight times the head. The power available from falling water can be calculated from the flow rate and density of water, the height of fall, and the local acceleration due to gravity:
where \(\dot{E}_{out}\) denotes the output electricity, \(\eta\) the conversional efficiency, \(\rho g \dot{V}\) is the mass flow, and \(\Delta h\) represents the height difference of the inlet and outlet flows.
Global warming effects on water discharges in Switzerland¤
The hydraulic regime has an obvious impact on the behaviour of dams and their storage in the context of global warming, shedding light on the study of the difference of water flows between current situation and the long-term horizon. Snowmelt will occur earlier each year, and the gradual loss of glacier volume will lead to a decrease in inflows into dams by 2100 1. In addition, rainfall patterns will change depending on the region and more extreme weather events are expected, leading to more water being evacuated from dams for safety reasons, and therefore not turbined.
To analyze the hydro discharges all over Switzerland, the PREVAH 2 adopted a 200 x 200 m grid 2 modeling approach for three time horizons: the “present” (from 1980 to 2009), the “near future” (2021-2050) and the “far future” ( 2070-2099). J.Dujardin 3 developped a methodology to determine the monthly water inflows of run-of-Hydro River plants, with the Confederation’s 2015 database of hydro power plants 4 taking into consideration the geolocation of the power plants.
Accroding to 7, the flows measured in Switzerland will change little in the short term (2035), with the exception of a few transient increases in the heavily glaciated regions. In the long term (2085), most Hydro Rivers are expected to decrease slightly, with the exception of Ticino and Toce, where the decrease is expected to be around 10%. In the Alpine space, warming is the main factor influencing the seasonal distribution of flows: the limit of snowfall will rise, while the reserves of meltwater, as well as the volume and surface of glaciers will decrease little. The seasonal distribution of flows (water regime) will change in most of Switzerland, with, in many regions, higher flows in winter and less in summer. Even large Hydro Rivers will see their flows change in this direction. In many areas of the Plateau, the flood period will move and/or lengthen. The Rhine region, for example, will see a second seasonal peak in winter, while in many other areas, floods will increase in strength and frequency. On the Plateau, periods of low water will be much more highlighted and will last longer (in summer), even for large Hydro Rivers. In the Alps, some of the low flows will no longer occur in winter but at the end of summer.
The renewable water resources available in a given region include the water flowing into streams. The flows of these Hydro Rivers are a function of the regional water balance, which takes into account rainfall, evaporation and changes in water supplies:
Hydroelectric Hydro Dam Reservoirs¤
1: Introduction¤
Hydroelectric dam reservoirs, pivotal components in the domain of renewable energy, exemplify the conversion of stored gravitational potential energy of water into electrical energy. Central technical facets of this technology involve:
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Hydro Dam Structure: Encompassing materials such as concrete or embankments, dams obstruct Hydro River flow, generating a reservoir, and providing the requisite hydraulic head for potential energy.
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Turbine Technology: Predominantly employing Kaplan, Francis, or Pelton turbines, the specific choice depends on the hydraulic head and flow rate of the reservoir.
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Capacity and Energy Generation: Ranging from a few MW to several GW, depending on the size and hydraulic characteristics of the reservoir, with larger reservoirs facilitating dispatchable energy supply by controlling water release.
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Capacity Factor: This quantifies the ratio of the actual electrical energy output over a specific duration to the potential energy output if the plant were operating at full capacity throughout the same interval. Hydroelectric dam reservoirs typically exhibit high capacity factors, often exceeding 50%, owing to their capacity to consistently generate electricity, subject to hydraulic conditions.
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Environmental and Social Implications: Involving considerations of local ecology, water usage, and potential displaCement Prod. of communities, thorough environmental and social impact assessments are indispensable.
2: Global Deployment¤
Hydroelectric dam reservoirs are ubiquitously deployed across the globe, particularly in regions with ample hydrological resources. As of 2021, hydroelectricity, predominantly sourced from dam reservoirs, comprised a significant portion of global renewable energy, contributing to an installed capacity of approximately 1,360 GW, representing a vital component in worldwide renewable energy generation.
3: Use in Quebec and Canada¤
Quebec¤
In Quebec, hydroelectric dam reservoirs are integral to the province’s energy matrix. The James Bay Project, one of the world’s largest hydroelectric systems, is a testament to the province’s commitment and dependency on reservoir hydroelectricity.
Quebec has leveraged its hydrological resources effectively, channeling the harnessed energy to not only cater to its domestic demands but also to export electricity to neighboring provinces and the United States, hence bolstering its economic framework through renewable energy trade.
Canada¤
In a broader Canadian context, hydroelectric dam reservoirs represent a cornerstone of the nation’s energy portfolio. Canada, harboring the fourth-largest hydroelectric infrastructure globally, substantiated a third-place positioning in annual hydroelectric production, registering over 383 TWh in 2021.
Historically rooted in 1881, Canada’s hydroelectric odyssey has witnessed the construction of at least 566 hydroelectric plants, cumulatively contributing an installed power of 82,990 MW as of 2023. The epochs between the 1950s and the 1990s witnessed a pronounced acceleration in capacity enhanCement Prod., moderating towards the latter part of the 2000s.
Over a recent five-year stretch, hydroelectric production has swelled by an approximate 2,400 MW, chiefly attributable to the inception of substantial plants such as Romaine-3 (395 MW) and Romaine-4 (245 MW) in Quebec in 2017 and 2023 respectively, Keeyask (695 MW) in Manitoba in 2022, and Muskrat Falls (824 MW) in Newfoundland and Labrador in 2021.
The trajectory of Canada’s hydroelectric development, enriched by its reservoir-based initiatives, underlines the role of comprehensive planning, meticulous development, and socio-ecological adherence in navigating future sustainable energy pathways.
ES Model Parameters¤
All the parameters concerning the HYDRO_DAM are listed in the table below.
| entry_key | value | unit | sets | source_reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ELECTRICITY_HV (layer) | 1 | - | Moret, Stefano, (2017): "Strategic Energy Planning under Uncertainty" | |
| RES_HYDRO (layer) | -1 | - | Moret, Stefano, (2017): "Strategic Energy Planning under Uncertainty" | |
| c_inv | 1558 | USD/kW | USA | Sasthav, Colin; Oladosu, Gbadebo, (2022): "ORNL Hydropower Cost Database Extract from FERC Form-1" |
| c_inv | 4828.39 | MCHF/GW | Moret, Stefano, (2017): "Strategic Energy Planning under Uncertainty" | |
| c_maint | 10.3 | USD/kW/yr | NA | Uría-Martínez, Rocío; Johnson, Megan M; Shan, Rui; Samu, Nicole M; Oladosu, Gbadebo; Werble, Joseph M; Battey, Hoyt, (2021): "U.S. Hydropower Market Report" |
| c_maint | 24.14 | MCHF/GW/yr | Moret, Stefano, (2017): "Strategic Energy Planning under Uncertainty" | |
| c_maint | 25 | USD/kW/yr | USA | IRENA, (2023): "Renewable Power Generation Costs in 2022" |
| c_maint | 25 | USD/kW/yr | USA | Uría-Martínez, Rocío; Johnson, Megan M; Shan, Rui; Samu, Nicole M; Oladosu, Gbadebo; Werble, Joseph M; Battey, Hoyt, (2021): "U.S. Hydropower Market Report" |
| c_maint | 25 | USD/kW/yr | USA | Uría-Martínez, Rocío; Johnson, Megan M, (2023): "U.S. Hydropower Market Report 2023 Edition" |
| c_maint | 41 | USD/kW/yr | USA | Sasthav, Colin; Oladosu, Gbadebo, (2022): "ORNL Hydropower Cost Database Extract from FERC Form-1" |
| c_p | 0.37 | - | USA | Sasthav, Colin; Oladosu, Gbadebo, (2022): "ORNL Hydropower Cost Database Extract from FERC Form-1" |
| c_p | 1 | - | Moret, Stefano, (2017): "Strategic Energy Planning under Uncertainty" | |
| c_p_t[10] | 0.436 | - | QC | Statistics Canada, (2023): "Electric Power Generation, Monthly Generation by Type of Electricity" |
| c_p_t[10] | 0.45 | - | QC | Brun, Justine, (2022): "Integration of Life Cycle Impact Assessment in Energy System Modelling, Applied to Canada's Provinces" |
| c_p_t[11] | 0.523 | - | QC | Statistics Canada, (2023): "Electric Power Generation, Monthly Generation by Type of Electricity" |
| c_p_t[11] | 0.58 | - | QC | Brun, Justine, (2022): "Integration of Life Cycle Impact Assessment in Energy System Modelling, Applied to Canada's Provinces" |
| c_p_t[12] | 0.626 | - | QC | Statistics Canada, (2023): "Electric Power Generation, Monthly Generation by Type of Electricity" |
| c_p_t[12] | 0.69 | - | QC | Brun, Justine, (2022): "Integration of Life Cycle Impact Assessment in Energy System Modelling, Applied to Canada's Provinces" |
| c_p_t[1] | 0.68 | - | QC | Brun, Justine, (2022): "Integration of Life Cycle Impact Assessment in Energy System Modelling, Applied to Canada's Provinces" |
| c_p_t[1] | 0.758 | - | QC | Statistics Canada, (2023): "Electric Power Generation, Monthly Generation by Type of Electricity" |
| c_p_t[2] | 0.68 | - | QC | Brun, Justine, (2022): "Integration of Life Cycle Impact Assessment in Energy System Modelling, Applied to Canada's Provinces" |
| c_p_t[2] | 0.742 | - | QC | Statistics Canada, (2023): "Electric Power Generation, Monthly Generation by Type of Electricity" |
| c_p_t[3] | 0.623 | - | QC | Statistics Canada, (2023): "Electric Power Generation, Monthly Generation by Type of Electricity" |
| c_p_t[3] | 0.67 | - | QC | Brun, Justine, (2022): "Integration of Life Cycle Impact Assessment in Energy System Modelling, Applied to Canada's Provinces" |
| c_p_t[4] | 0.475 | - | QC | Statistics Canada, (2023): "Electric Power Generation, Monthly Generation by Type of Electricity" |
| c_p_t[4] | 0.56 | - | QC | Brun, Justine, (2022): "Integration of Life Cycle Impact Assessment in Energy System Modelling, Applied to Canada's Provinces" |
| c_p_t[5] | 0.416 | - | QC | Statistics Canada, (2023): "Electric Power Generation, Monthly Generation by Type of Electricity" |
| c_p_t[5] | 0.5 | - | QC | Brun, Justine, (2022): "Integration of Life Cycle Impact Assessment in Energy System Modelling, Applied to Canada's Provinces" |
| c_p_t[6] | 0.455 | - | QC | Statistics Canada, (2023): "Electric Power Generation, Monthly Generation by Type of Electricity" |
| c_p_t[6] | 0.48 | - | QC | Brun, Justine, (2022): "Integration of Life Cycle Impact Assessment in Energy System Modelling, Applied to Canada's Provinces" |
| c_p_t[7] | 0.483 | - | QC | Statistics Canada, (2023): "Electric Power Generation, Monthly Generation by Type of Electricity" |
| c_p_t[7] | 0.53 | - | QC | Brun, Justine, (2022): "Integration of Life Cycle Impact Assessment in Energy System Modelling, Applied to Canada's Provinces" |
| c_p_t[8] | 0.484 | - | QC | Statistics Canada, (2023): "Electric Power Generation, Monthly Generation by Type of Electricity" |
| c_p_t[8] | 0.52 | - | QC | Brun, Justine, (2022): "Integration of Life Cycle Impact Assessment in Energy System Modelling, Applied to Canada's Provinces" |
| c_p_t[9] | 0.429 | - | QC | Statistics Canada, (2023): "Electric Power Generation, Monthly Generation by Type of Electricity" |
| c_p_t[9] | 0.52 | - | QC | Brun, Justine, (2022): "Integration of Life Cycle Impact Assessment in Energy System Modelling, Applied to Canada's Provinces" |
| f_max | 23.217 | GW | QC | Hydro-Québec, (2023): "Centrales - Hydro-Québec Production ⧉" |
| f_min | 23.217 | GW | QC | Hydro-Québec, (2023): "Centrales - Hydro-Québec Production ⧉" |
| gwp_constr | 1692.88 | kgCO2/kW | Moret, Stefano, (2017): "Strategic Energy Planning under Uncertainty" | |
| lifetime | 40 | y | Moret, Stefano, (2017): "Strategic Energy Planning under Uncertainty" | |
| ref_size | 8.08 | GW | Moret, Stefano, (2017): "Strategic Energy Planning under Uncertainty" | |
| ref_size | 93 | MW | USA | Sasthav, Colin; Oladosu, Gbadebo, (2022): "ORNL Hydropower Cost Database Extract from FERC Form-1" |
| trl | 9 | - | Moret, Stefano, (2017): "Strategic Energy Planning under Uncertainty" |
References¤
| Data Sources |
|---|
| Brun, Justine. (2022). "Integration of Life Cycle Impact Assessment in Energy System Modelling, Applied to Canada's Provinces" |
| Hydro-Québec. (2023). "Centrales - Hydro-Québec Production ⧉" |
| IRENA. (2023). "Renewable Power Generation Costs in 2022" |
| Moret, Stefano. (2017). "Strategic Energy Planning under Uncertainty" |
| Sasthav, Colin; Oladosu, Gbadebo. (2022). "ORNL Hydropower Cost Database Extract from FERC Form-1". https://doi.org/10.21951/ORNLHCMFORM1COST/1844097 ⧉ |
| Statistics Canada. (2023). "Electric Power Generation, Monthly Generation by Type of Electricity". https://doi.org/10.25318/2510001501-ENG ⧉ |
| Uría-Martínez, Rocío; Johnson, Megan M; Shan, Rui; Samu, Nicole M; Oladosu, Gbadebo; Werble, Joseph M; Battey, Hoyt. (2021). "U.S. Hydropower Market Report" |
| Uría-Martínez, Rocío; Johnson, Megan M. (2023). "U.S. Hydropower Market Report 2023 Edition" |
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D. Finger, G. Heinrich, A. Gobiet, and A. Bauder, “Projections of future water resources and their uncertainty in a glacierized catchment in the Swiss Alps and the subsequent effects on hydropower production during the 21st century,” Water Resources Research, vol. 48, no. 2, pp. n/a–n/a, 2012. ↩
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D. Viviroli, M. Zappa, J. Gurtz, and R. Weingartner, “An introduction to the hydrological modelling system PREVAH and its pre- and post-processing-tools,” Environmental Modelling & Software, vol. 24, no. 10, pp. 1209–1222, Oct. 2009 Online ⧉ ↩↩
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J. Dujardin, “Catchment aggregation regime, zip file.” Mar-2016 Online ⧉. ↩
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SFOE, “Statistique des aménagements hydroélectriques de la Suisse. 2013-2019,” Swiss Federal Office of Energy, 2019 ↩
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Wikipedia Wikipedia ⧉. ↩
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E.Burdet, “The role of power-to-gas and accumulation dams as seasonal storage facilities for Switzerland’s energy transition”, Master thesis, EPFL, 2019 ↩
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P. Varilek and U. Nöthiger-Koch, “Impacts des changements climatiques sur les eaux et les ressources en eau,” p. 78. ↩
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(Hubacher & Schädler 2010) ↩
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Zappa et al, 2012 ↩