Author(s): Francisco Kuljevan; Ali Camlibel; Mark Christian; Robert Entriken; Patrick March; Jake True; Paul Wolff
Linked Author(s): Patrick March
Keywords: DOE; WPTO; Hydrolink
Abstract:
The resource mix across the globe is changing as renewable technologies become more cost-effective and as part of efforts to reduce the world’s dependence on carbon-based generation technologies. Increasing amounts of variable renewable energy (VRE) resources, primarily wind and solar, are interconnecting with the grid. Worldwide pumped storage hydro currently provides regulation, spinning reserve, and approximately 96% of utility scale energy storage, and significant utility effort is focusing on increasing capacity at existing pumped storage facilities. Further, conventional hydroelectric power plants can, and often do, provide flexibility services for grid reliability and stability and for integrating VRE resources; they may have limited ability to store water and to provide regulation, and spinning reserve in addition to energy, such as for run-of-river plants.
Year: 2023