- Reclamation
- R&D
- Research Projects
- Quantifying the Flexibility and Economic Potential of Reclamation’s Hydropower Assets
Quantifying the Flexibility and Economic Potential of Reclamation’s Hydropower Assets
Project ID: 21087
Principal Investigator: Melissa Estep
Research Topic: Improved Power Generation
Funded Fiscal Years:
2021 and
2022
Keywords: None
Research Question
This research leverages HydrOS and RiverWare to improve system-level hydropower outcomes. Specifically, the research will couple the modeling tools to: (1) identify the maximal operational space for hydropower production for individual facilities (RiverWare); (2) quantify the capability for ancillary services provision and optimal hydropower generation within the defined operational space (HydrOS); (3) evaluate multiple site-specific ancillary services and generation solutions across cascading facilities to deliver system-level optimization (RiverWare).
Need and Benefit
This work was coordinated with the acting Power and Energy research area coordinator, Bobbi Jo Merten. Clark Bishop in the PRO was notified about the prospect of a cost-share. This research builds on the results of two Reclamation-funded efforts: (1) a 2015-17 Research Office collaboration with NREL to improve the specification of constraints on Reclamation hydropower production; and (2) a 2016-17 PRO investigation into the quantification of hydropower flexibility and ancillary services.
Contributing Partners
Contact the Principal Investigator for information about partners.
Research Products
Please contact research@usbr.gov about research products related to this project.