Hydro in Europe: Powering Renewables - Full Report - Eurelectric

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5. THE STRATEGIC ROLE OF HYDROPOWER IN THE CHANGING ELECTRICITY LANDSCAPE Future generation portfolio The future electricity generation portfolio is uncertain. It will be determined by technological development, learning curves of technologies, public acceptance, and the capability of the financial market to provide the necessary financial resources for the projects. It is clear that RES-based distributed generation will account for a significant share of this portfolio. The future electricity supply system will consist of reinforced and upgraded transmission and distribution grids, which will incrementally evolve towards a smarter network. The management of future network system The management of the future transmission and distribution network is a challenge in terms of the required algorithms to control the grid, the necessary technical installations with the appropriate features and – crucially – the regulatory framework. This framework has to ensure transparency of any activity of the market participants and fair burden-sharing regarding the duties and rights or benefits. This is important in order to achieve an efficient and competitive supply chain. The role of hydropower storage Hydropower will link requirements of the demand side and the possibilities and limitations of the transmission or distribution side (i.e. unpredictability of the RESbased generation, need for back-up power). Pumped storage and hydro storage power plants will have a decisive role thanks to the benefits of this technology. Technical role of storage in general - technical maturity Storage facilities can decouple supply and demand either in a short or long term. One can differentiate three types of storage technologies: - Mass storage; - Local spread storage; and - Indirect storage. Reservoir-type or pumped storage hydropower plants belong to the first group. Compressed air energy storage and thermal electric storage devices can also be placed in this category. Local spread storage technologies include batteries and fly-wheel energy storage devices. Finally, indirect storage technologies are those producing hydrogen and/or methane. These devices require additional generation facilities to burn hydrogen or methane and have a low efficiency balance. Nevertheless, this technology could enable storage when the wind is blowing or the sun is shining and act as a buffer system. 56
As a mature technology, pumped storage hydropower plants are the only option available today to provide competitive large-scale storage. Other existing storage technologies are all limited in their operation and still require significant R&D. Optimisation Europe’s current energy landscape is characterised by a predominance of fossil and nuclear generation, while the efforts to increase the share of renewable energy are driven by unilateral, national or local development strategies. The consequence is a fragmented, disconnected and sometimes even distorted European energy market. In order to optimise the use of all energy sources and to foster further deployment of renewables, much more integrated, large-scale pan-European resource planning and management will be necessary which takes into account synergies between technologies. A further goal will be to enhance the efficiency in coordination and the use of electricity generation, storage and consumption across key sectors such as the power sector, the transport sector and the heating sector. Since the various renewable resources are located in different regions of Europe, an optimised resource use will require the establishment of enhanced interconnections. While generation from wind is expected to grow especially around the North Sea, significant growth in solar energy is likely to happen especially in the southern parts of Europe. To support the important growth rate of these two variable renewable sources and ensure energy security, storage hydropower will have an important function in securing grid stabilisation. Yet, these resources can also only be developed in specific European regions such as the Alps or Scandinavia. The concept for a sustainable power supply infrastructure to Europe, the Middle East and North Africa (EU-MENA) in form of a supra-regional super grid based on high-voltage DC power transmission as “Electricity Highways” was proposed by the Trans-Mediterranean Renewable Energy Cooperation (TREC) in 2003 and illustrates the idea of an optimised pan-European resource management. Timing In the transition to the new electricity generation and transport landscape, timerelated aspects also deserve due consideration. The process from planning a new storage hydropower plant to its commissioning and full operation can take about 10 years. Building a new transmission or distribution line also takes at least 10 years. Without increasing efforts to erect new storage facilities and new transmission and distribution lines the whole process of transition could easily be compromised. As outlined above, hydropower is already essential for the stable supply of electricity to consumers. This role will become more relevant for the future as fulfilment of the EU RES and climate targets for 2020 will require enhanced efforts to deliver the requested services at affordable prices. 57
Page 1 and 2:
Hydro in Europe: Powering Renewable
Page 3 and 4:
The Union of the Electricity Indust
Page 5 and 6: TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. INTRODUCTION..
Page 7 and 8: 1. INTRODUCTION Hydropower is a mat
Page 9 and 10: Chapter 3 outlines the basic charac
Page 11 and 12: Actual generation in 2009, TWh 140
Page 13 and 14: Currently installed pumped storage
Page 15 and 16: 2.3. Pumped storage as the battery
Page 17 and 18: GWh 10000 1000 100 10 1 1 2 4 6 7 8
Page 19 and 20: limited capacities and are often di
Page 21 and 22: of this chapter, make this work wor
Page 23 and 24: output increases every morning and
Page 25 and 26: plants are designed to use either a
Page 27 and 28: There are two types of storage hydr
Page 29 and 30: Fig. 13 Illustration of the operati
Page 31 and 32: Pumped storage facilities work as a
Page 33 and 34: Table 4 highlights some advantages
Page 35 and 36: the NORDEL system and to connection
Page 37 and 38: - controlling reactive power motion
Page 39 and 40: Even though the permit process fore
Page 41 and 42: over 50 valleys along the west coas
Page 43 and 44: Fig. 15: Hydropower in the power ge
Page 45 and 46: Fig. 17 Greenhouse Gas Emissions pe
Page 47 and 48: BOX 1 - FRANCE - A HYDROPOWER PROJE
Page 49 and 50: The long life span of a hydro plant
Page 51 and 52: Plans (NREAPs), drawn by the member
Page 53 and 54: and for the development of strategi
Page 55: o share existing communication mate
Page 59 and 60: 5. Hydropower is the only large-sca
Page 61 and 62: More must be done NOW to fully expl
Page 63 and 64: Glossary Ancillary services Service
Page 65 and 66: Annex 1 Methodological consideratio
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