As the world moves towards renewable energy sources in pursuit of decarbonization, one of the principal methods being implemented is hydropower. The ability to generate electrical power using falling water to turn a turbine will continue to play a major role in clean energy production. The Department of Energy's (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory is at the forefront of hydropower development, with a portfolio including everything from research into new methods of generating power to computer models for predicting need.
In light of National Hydropower Day on Aug. 24, we focus on the ways in which hydropower is key to developing cleaner communities, fueling local job creation and creating a dependable clean energy future for all. Here are several ways that Argonne is contributing to this initiative and how its efforts will shape our future.
Something is needed when the wind stops or the sun sets … pumped storage hydropower has been there for years."
Cathy Milostan, market & technology development analyst at Argonne
1. Don't forget about hydropower
Hydropower is a game-changer in the field of clean energy. By leveraging the power of our natural waterways, which make up a key source of renewable energy, nations around the world are able to take some of the burden of energy production off of carbon-based sources. Hydropower is especially useful because it can produce energy even when the sun doesn't shine or the wind doesn't blow, and offers energy storage capacity as well. Hydropower plants have a technological track record of more than 50 years and the development of new tools to optimize their use is of great importance.
Over the past 35 years, Argonne has worked with more than 20 countries to help them develop their hydropower infrastructure, including extensive work for DOE's Water Power Technologies Office (WPTO). The WPTO leverages Argonne's strengths to enhance the use of hydropower to achieve clean energy goals for the U.S. with studies and modeling tools to accelerate growth in hydropower and the development of new technologies.
This includes Argonne-led projects, spotlighted in WPTO's 2022-2023 Accomplishments Report, analyzing how hydropower's value will likely increase as the U.S. transitions to a clean energy grid. Other projects identified the potential for developing hydropower in Alaska and examined hydropower technology innovations such as better reservoir liners. Argonne has built long-term relationships and collaborations around the world with power system operators, organizations such as the International Energy Agency, and other bodies interested in hydropower research.
2. Providing tools to support hydropower in our clean energy future
One way Argonne helps in building awareness of hydropower's importance in the clean energy transition is by developing modeling tools and providing training to users worldwide. Argonne's Generation and Transmission Maximization model enables organizations to manage and improve the electric system by looking at energy, contracts, and market opportunities to increase profitability and use resources efficiently.
Other tools developed at Argonne include the Water Use Optimization Toolset, the Conventional Hydropower Energy and Environmental Systems (CHEERS) and the Electricity Market Complex Adaptive System models. These models allow scientists and engineers to simulate everything from varying drought conditions to different power setup styles, which helps determine the best use of existing hydroelectric infrastructure and efficient planning for the use of hydroelectric energy.
3. Building long-term collaborations to drive growth in hydropower
Argonne has been working with partners in hydropower optimization development for over 30 years. One example of this proven track record is the laboratory's relationship with the Western Area Power Administration (WAPA). The WAPA, as one of DOE's four power marketing administrations, oversees electricity generation at 57 hydroelectric dams across 15 western and central states of the continental U.S. Argonne's relationship aids WAPA in this administration.
"These are hydropower federal plants, owned by the Bureau of Reclamation," said Vladimir Koritarov, director of Argonne's Center for Energy, Environmental, and Economic Systems Analysis (CEEESA). "They're operated by the WAPA because it is a power marketing agency that is tasked with supplying hydropower to federal and state agencies, cities and towns, public utility and irrigation districts, and Native American tribes. In that area, there are typically rural electric cooperatives and municipal utilities, and WAPA supplies them with federal hydropower at very low cost."
Argonne helps to reduce build times and overall cost of infrastructure and has contributed to outreach and inclusion efforts, which help bring new collaborating partners. As the field grows, Argonne's leadership and partnerships with more than 35 companies and hundreds of professionals in a variety of positions, ensures that more people can get involved in hydropower, including in careers at Argonne.
In addition to domestic activities, Argonne researchers have helped countries worldwide plan for power delivery with system analysis and electricity market tools that are being used in more than 40 countries. The lab teams up with organizations in Europe, Asia and Africa to assist with environmental analysis and assessment, systems and integration analysis, unit performance optimization, and more.
4. Supporting hydropower's role as a water battery for clean energy infrastructure
Another area where Argonne's expertise comes into use is in the modeling of new ways to implement hydropower. For example, pumped storage hydropower (PSH) has been a major target for development and optimization since it has potential for energy storage.
"Traditionally you have a large reservoir on top and a body of water -; that is, a river -; on the bottom, and you effectively pump the water up from the lower body of water," explained Patrick Balducci, manager of Argonne's power systems and market research. "That engages the pumps, which consume energy to pump the water into the upper reservoir. But then when you need to use this energy, you allow the water to fall through the shaft and through a powerhouse, which generates energy."
The benefit is that the energy costs can be shifted to "off hours" when energy demands of the grid are lower, such as nighttime. At those low-use times, little energy is needed for civic use, meaning it can be freed up to pump water and store energy for when it is needed during peak times.
5. Demonstrating the value of hydropower
One of Argonne's chief contributions is its efforts to demonstrate the importance of investing in hydropower in order to build a better, cleaner and more energy resilient future. For this purpose, Argonne has developed the Pumped Storage Hydropower Valuation Tool (PSHVT) for public use.
The PSHVT allows officials to plan their investment in the technology by simulating a wide variety of scenarios and variables which may arise in the implementation of new projects. "It's hard to invest because there's great uncertainty about how you're going to use these systems 20 years from now and what the values will be," said Balducci. "We prepared the valuation guidebook to help industry evaluate PSH projects from the system operator's perspective by simulating the operation of the grid."
The PSHVT is based on the comprehensive PSH Valuation Guidebook, which Argonne published in 2022 and devised a 15-step process for valuation of PSH projects. The process is ideal for compiling information about existing and potential future hydropower projects so that developers and investors can determine the value of these projects in advance of any major work being undertaken, which can save money down the line.
PSHVT was created as a collaboration among researchers at Argonne and DOE's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Idaho National Laboratory, Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). Together with international partners both in the public and private sectors, these organizations have orchestrated projects aimed at pioneering new ways to showcase the value of hydropower to wide customer bases.
Argonne's Hydropower Value Drivers project is raising awareness of how hydropower resources can adapt to serve the needs of a rapidly evolving power grid. Working closely with collaborators at NREL and PNNL, Argonne researchers developed a framework to assess how the magnitude of different value streams for hydropower resources may evolve under changing system conditions. The project team applied two commercial production cost models to simulate future electricity prices under different system conditions. These results were passed to Argonne's CHEERS model to optimize the operation of hydropower facilities under different conditions.
6. Making the case for hydropower's important role in our future energy mix
One of the major benefits of hydropower is its versatility. "Many places are developing wind and solar power as they support growth in renewable energy," explained Cathy Milostan, market & technology development analyst for Argonne's CEEESA. "But wind and solar are intermittent. Something is needed when the wind stops or the sun sets, and that's why people are looking at battery farms. But pumped storage hydropower has been there for years."
Milostan explained the benefits of pumped-storage hydropower from an economic viewpoint. "We have a competitive advantage over batteries, which have to be recharged after four to six hours and need to be replaced every 10 years. Meanwhile, with hydropower you have at least a 50-to-100-year asset with a proven track record of performance, and with long duration energy storage," she said. This long-term energy generating and storing capability, and the technology's track record as a whole, are part of what makes hydroelectric power a heavy hitter in the age of renewable energy.
Argonne led a multi-laboratory consortium to examine advancements in PSH technology, culminating in the report, A Review of Technology Innovations for Pumped Storage Hydropower. The team reviewed several promising innovative PSH technologies, including ways to add PSH to new locations, adopt new construction methods to lower costs and combine it with other renewable power facilities.
In the coming years, as the world transitions away from nonrenewable energy sources, hydropower will play a key role in the development of a new clean energy approach. With leadership in the creation of tools for modeling energy needs and the planning of new hydroelectric projects, Argonne is well-placed to contribute to this vision.