<p>Variable, renewable energy (VRE) generation such as wind and solar power has seen a rapid increase in usage over the past decades. These power generation sources offer benefits due to their low marginal costs and reduced emissions. However, VRE assets are not dispatchable due to their variable nature, which can result in a mismatch of the supply and demand curves for electricity. Pumped-storage hydropower (PSH) seeks to solve this by pumping water uphill during times of excess energy production and releasing the water back downhill through turbines during energy shortages, thus serving as a rechargeable battery. Creating new PSH systems, however, requires a large amount of capital in addition to the challenge of finding suitable locations. The United States Army Corps. of Engineers (USACE) is the largest producer of hydroelectric power within the United States, and as such, has a high probability of containing favorable sites for the addition of PSH. To date, contact has been established with each of the USACE divisions and subsequent districts. Through communicating with the agencies, a sizable amount of previously uncompiled data has been collected for evaluation.</p><p>This study seeks to evaluate the existing hydroelectric facilities using techno-economic methods and the curated data to assess the potential for adding PSH. Each USACE facility is evaluated based on available head, flow rates, and reservoir size from the previously unpublished data to estimate the power generation and energy storage potential. Through this initial evaluation, the hydroelectric facilities are down-selected. Subsequently, a MATLAB model was developed to estimate the marginal profitability of different system locations over time intervals of varying duration. The temporal nature of local wholesale electricity prices is also accounted for, including the use of stochastic methods to vary prices and estimate the financial feasibility of the proposed location. The model was then used to complete a sensitivity analysis to assess the viability of each down-selected facility under varying operational conditions. After potential profitability is taken into account, further analysis was completed regarding the site-specific factors that would either facilitate or impede the development of a PSH system. These factors include but are not limited to any local water laws, protected species that may be adversely affected, ease of access for construction, and location in the greater electric grid. Due to the nature of this study, these factors themselves are not evaluated, however, an evaluative method is proposed. This study will inform decision-making processes, enabling a sustainable electric grid.</p>

Feasibility of Pumped Hydroelectric Storage Within Existing USACE Facilities: a Methodological Approach

Paper Proceedings: https://asmedigitalcollection.asme.org/IMECE/IMECE2021/volume/85543

ASME 2021 International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition (IMECE2021)

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