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- Title
Evaluation of Nominal Energy Storage at Existing Hydropower Reservoirs in the US.
- Authors
Hansen, Carly; Ghimire, Ganesh R.; Kao, Shih‐Chieh
- Abstract
Long‐term planning and operation of hydropower reservoirs require an understanding of both water and energy storage. As energy storage needs of the evolving grid increase, we must account for the water and energy storage potential of these reservoirs. Given the limitations of current data on existing hydropower, we compile statistics related to storage volume and hydraulic head from publicly available data sets and examine differences in descriptions of US hydropower storage. Assembled characteristics are used to calculate nominal energy storage capacity, a simple measure of potential to generate power from a given volume of water, not factoring in detailed constraints. Inventory‐based estimates of energy storage are calculated at 2,075 dams, which helps put the potential for US hydropower to support energy storage in context with similar evaluations in other regions and with other energy storage technologies. The national energy storage capacity ranges between 34.5 and 45.1 TWh depending on the information used, with 52% of energy storage located at the 10 largest reservoirs in the US. Energy storage capacities are also calculated at 236 dams with historical volume and elevation data. Finally, reservoir inflows provide context for the storage volumes and sensitivities to hydrologic variability. Larger reservoirs with greater storage volume to inflow ratios are concentrated in the Western US, but the majority of hydropower reservoirs store less than the annual inflow. We address several infrastructure and water resource informatics challenges and highlight remaining issues, including representing seasonal or shorter variability in water volumes and representing connected hydropower facilities. Plain Language Summary: Storage in hydropower reservoirs is important to the management of both water resources and the electric grid, especially with variable water availability and evolving grid needs. By combining existing inventories of surface water (reservoirs and streamflow) and hydropower infrastructure (dams and power plants), we can calculate nominal energy storage capacity at hydropower reservoirs for the entire US. These estimates of energy storage are based on physical characteristics (water volume and hydraulic head) and are calculated for 2,075 dams for a total energy storage capacity of between 34.5 and 45.1 TWh, depending on which inventoried information is used. Estimates of energy storage based on historical records of storage volume are also calculated for a subset of 236 dams. We also calculate the length of time a facility could generate at its rated capacity for facilities where installed capacity is known. Some of the biggest remaining challenges for understanding water and energy storage on large scales are the ability to represent changes in the storage on seasonal or shorter time scales and the need to consider interdependencies on hydropower facilities that operate within systems. Key Points: A national data set of energy and water storage capacity at hydropower facilities aids long‐term water and energy system planning/managementHalf of nominal energy storage is at 10 largest reservoirs; however, storage size is not a perfect predictor for nominal energy storageSensitivity to hydrologic variability is regional; storage volume at more than 86% of hydropower reservoirs is less than the annual inflow
- Subjects
ENERGY storage; WATER power; WATER management; WATER storage; WATER supply; RESERVOIRS; ELECTRIC power distribution grids
- Publication
Water Resources Research, 2022, Vol 58, Issue 11, p1
- ISSN
0043-1397
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1029/2022WR032210