VGB POWERTECH 7 (2020) - International Journal for Generation and Storage of Electricity and Heat

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A journey through 100 years VGB | Hydropower | VGB POWERTECH · Issue 9 (2007) Maintaining Know-how Maintaining Know-how and Assuring Quality in Hydro Power Plants Kurzfassung Know-how-Erhalt und Qualitätssicherung bei Wasserkraftanlagen In Europa ist die Wasserkraft die wichtigste regenerative Energiequelle. Sie steht für klimaschonende Stromerzeugung ohne CO 2 -Emissionen. Das Ausbaupotential in Deutschland ist zwar begrenzt, aber in Europa bestehen noch erhebliche Potentiale für neue Projekte. Qualitätsmängel beschäftigen Betreiber und Lieferfirmen in zunehmender Weise. Verzögerungen bei Instandhaltungs- und Neubauprojekten sind immer häufiger festzustellen. Diese Nichtverfügbarkeiten verursachen auf beiden Seiten hohe Folgekosten. Um den vielfältigen Herausforderungen aus Technik und nationalen/europäischen Rahmenbedingungen besser begegnen zu können, pflegen die großen Betreiber von Wasserkraftanlagen unter dem Dach der VGB PowerTech e.V. einen systematischen Erfahrungsaustausch. Die Liberalisierung des europäischen Elektrizitätsmarktes hat bei den Kraftwerksbetreibern eine Wettbewerbssituation mit enormem Kostendruck entstehen lassen. Deshalb wurden Instandhaltungszyklen gestreckt, und die Personalstärke ist über viele Jahre reduziert worden. Die geringere Nachfrage der Betreiber hat verständliche Anpassungen bei den Herstellerfirmen zur Folge gehabt. In den letzten 10 Jahren hat in Mitteleuropa ein enormer Kapazitätsabbau bei Autoren Dr. Josef F. Ciesiolka E.ON Wasserkraft GmbH, Landshut/Deutschland. Dr. Hans-Christoph Funke RWE Power AG, Essen/Deutschland. den Herstellern stattgefunden. Als Gegenreaktion erfuhr der Herstellermarkt eine Konzentrationsbewegung. Auf Seiten der Betreiber gilt es, das betriebliche Know-how zu pflegen, weiterzuentwickeln und zu sichern. Wissensmanagement ist eine wichtige Zukunftsaufgabe der Betreiber von Wasserkraftwerken. Qualitätsmanagementsysteme sind außerdem gefordert, mit denen nicht nur die Qualitätsanforderungen festgeschrieben werden, sondern insbesondere der Umsetzungsprozess überwacht und gesteuert wird. Das kann nur gelingen, wenn die Hersteller und Dienstleister mit einbezogen werden. Ein konstruktiver Dialog mit Herstellern außerhalb von Vergabeverhandlungen verspricht wichtige Verbesserungen. Auch ist die kontinuierliche Weiterbildung des ausführenden Personals eine wichtige Aufgabe. Introduction Despite decades of experience in the construction and operation of hydro power plants, quality does not take care of itself. The modified framework conditions in the European electricity market in the wake of liberalisation and the generational change in specialist staff have left their marks although modern technology has at the same time opened up a lot of new opportunities. However, operators and suppliers increasingly have to deal with quality deficiencies. Delays in maintenance and new construction projects occur more and more often. These unavailability times lead to high follow-up costs on both sides. On the suppliers' side, the necessary rectification of defects results in additional expenditure, shrinking the order margin or, in some cases, even making it negative. This generally impairs the suppliers' economic situation and future orders are burdened. It should also be mentioned that the specialist staff, which are in short supply anyway, are tied up for longer periods in unscheduled activities so that other tasks suffer. On the operators’ side, the unavailability of a plant leads to production losses. Depending on the plants significance within the power plant portfolio, these may entail revenue losses which sometimes far exceed the order volume for maintenance work. If quality problems occur, the specialist staff of the plant operators are also tied up for a certain period of time although they would be urgently needed for other tasks. It is also obvious that this process of problem-solving does not really enhance the basis of cooperation between suppliers and operators. Thus, quality assurance requires rigorous action, not least with a view to the challenges hydro power will be facing in the future. Hydro Power Makes an Important Contribution to Electricity Generation in Europe The Contribution of Hydro Power to Electricity Generation Only seven years ago, i. e. in the year 1999, hydro power accounted for more than two thirds of renewable electricity generation in Germany (Figure 1). In 2006, this share still amounted to 30 % after all. Due to massive state subsidies, wind power has become the No. 1 in the industry with a share of 42 %. Biomass has also gained considerably, now holding a share of 26 %. Nevertheless, hydro power still is Europe's most significant renewable energy source (Figure 2). 1999 Total 28,7 TWh 2006 Total 72,2 TWh EU-25 Germany Biomass 13.2% Biomass 25.5% Hydro power 29.7% 70% Hydro power Other renewables 30% Wind 18.8% Photovoltaics 0.1% Hydro power 67.9% Wind 42% Photovoltaics 0.1% 310 TWh Generation 22 TWh Generation 290 Mill. t CO 2 Avoidance 1 20 Mill. t CO 2 Avoidance 1 130,000 MW Installed capacity 4,700 MW Installed capacity 1 CO 2-Einsparung auf Basis fossiler Energieträgermix in Deutschland Quelle: VGB, 2006 Figure 1. Contribution of hydro power to renewable electricity generation in Germany. Figure 2. Hydro power is Europe’s most significant renewable energy source. 102 VGB PowerTech 9/2007 82
A journey through 100 years VGB | Hydropower | VGB POWERTECH · Issue 9 (2007) Maintaining Know-how The EU-25 countries generate 70 % of their electricity from renewables. They have an installed hydro power capacity of 130,000 MW and a corresponding annual electricity generation of around 310 TWh. The comparative figures for Germany are 4,700 MW of installed capacity and 22 TWh of electricity generation. Hydro power stands for climate-friendly electricity generation without CO 2 emissions. Assessed on the basis of a fossil energy mix for electricity generation in Germany, hydro power contributes to avoiding about 290 million tons of CO 2 in the EU-25 countries and as much as around 20 millions tons of CO 2 in Germany. But the figures mentioned do not fully account for the role hydro power plays in electricity procurement. Hydro power plants can be operated for many decades. With professional maintenance and service, their operating times may even exceed a hundred years. E.ON Wasserkraft, for instance, has some such plants in its power plant portfolio. Hydro power plants are capital-intensive. Once the major part of the capital costs is amortized and operation optimised, it is possible to attain highly favourable electricity generating costs. This is the difference to other renewable energies that cannot yet compete in the market without financial subsidies. To be fair it must be noted that smallscale hydro power plants with capacities of around 10 MW or less could not be built either without subsidies under the Renewable Energy Act as they lack economies of scale and hence economic efficiency. The second aspect of significance is the time an electricity generating plant is utilised (number of full load hours). From a technical viewpoint, power plants generally attain a long utilisation period if they can be deployed on schedule (exception: peak-load plants). In Germany, hydro power plants offer on average around 4500 hours full load, in the south of Germany even for around 6000 hours. The comparative value for onshore wind power plants is about 1600 full load hours. Electricity can only be produced when the wind blows with adequate strength. This may also be the case when electricity requirements are relatively low. As a result, the output of other power plants must be reduced. General generation statistics do not take account of pumped-storage plants as they serve to shift the time of electricity generation. The upper reservoir, the energy store of a pumped-storage plant, is filled by means of pumps when electrical demand is low. The required capacities can then be provided at peak times (capacity refinement) or as a system service for grid control. This last aspect in particular has gained increasing importance in the liberalised electricity markets [1]. In Germany, the installed capacity of pumped-storage plants (without natural inflow) amounts to around 5000 MW. In the UCTE area, comparable plants with around 20,000 MW are in operation. Development Potential The development potential for hydro power in Germany is limited. There are still several possibilities in the capacity range of plants falling under the Renewable Energy Act. However, the development of these few possibilities is hampered by extensive bureaucratic licensing procedures and highly active lobby groups which overemphasise individual ecological aspects and prevent a balanced weighing of assets. Moreover, the increase in residual flow volumes at diversion power plants and the water flow required for fish ladder retrofits by the EU Water Framework Directive will result in additional generation losses at existing plants. The economic efficiency of pumped-storage plant projects is highly dependent on the volume of construction required. In current market conditions, the reconstruction or extension of existing plants in particular may be economically interesting. Europe still has considerable potential for development. Although around 75 % of the cost-efficient development potential are already used, it is conceivable to add another 50 GW of capacity from hydro power plants. Realisation is mainly dependent on whether it will be possible to balance the various interests involved, such as nature conservation, recreation and electricity generation. A realistic estimate of new construction potential over the next few years is an additional capacity of around 8000 MW which could be developed mainly in the Alpine countries with a focus on reservoir and pumped-storage plants and in Eastern Europe where the focus would be on reservoir and run-of-river plants. Exchange of Experience between Operators under the Roof of VGB To be better positioned to meet the multi-faceted challenges arising in terms of technology and from national/European regulatory framework conditions, the large hydro power plant operators have teamed up to organise a systematic exchange of experience under the roof of the VGB PowerTech e.V. It is this feedback on operating experience and the discussion of remedial measures on a wider technical basis that greatly help to enhance the approaches adopted. Meanwhile, 20 member companies from nine European countries have joined to tackle this task together. These companies represent an installed capacity of 15,000 MW in run-ofriver plants and 30,000 MW in reservoir and pumped-storage plants (Figure 3). Description of the Current Situation Cost Pressure Leads to Adjustments by Operators The liberalisation of the European electricity market has put power plant operators into a competitive situation with enormous cost pressure. As a consequence, operators have carried out adjustment measures which, in aggregate, resulted in combined operator companies (market consolidation), extended planned outage and maintenance cycles, focussed repair activities, partly automated power plant operation and pooled monitoring and control functions in central control rooms. As staff costs are crucial to the cost of generation in hydro power plants, manpower levels have been considerably reduced over many years. Naturally, this has led to a loss of staff who had built valuable know-how during their working lives in new construction projects and a great number of repair activities. The transfer of expert knowledge to junior employees has not always been adequately successful. Lack of Demand Fosters Market Consolidation by Manufacturers The demand from operators for power plant components and maintenance services, which has been declining over many years, and the shifting of new construction activities for large-scale power plant projects to Asia, Africa and South America have understandably led to adjustment measures on the manufacturers' side. Over the last ten years, manufacturing capacities in Central Europe have been reduced enormously. The service locations in Central Europe have become the subject of discussion and have meanwhile reached a subcritical size. In response, the manufacturing market was consolidated. While there were nine suppliers of hydro power turbines in 1985, there were only seven ten years later. In 2005, the market offered only four alternatives. Thus, the operators' options have been drastically reduced. This will most certainly influence not only future price developments but also the availability of turbine wheels and other mechanical power plant components. Examples of Quality Problems In view of the developments described before, it is not surprising that serious quality problems are encountered during repairs. This is to be illustrated by one example each from the electrical engineering and the mechanical engineering fields. The names of the manufacturing company or power plant operator are of no significance here as the examples given are easily exchangeable for examples of other parties: 104 VGB PowerTech 9/2007 83
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