Enhanced operational flexibility of a small run-of-river hydropower plant

Abstract

Over the last two decades, the public policies for promoting new renewable energies allowed the growth of such energies around the world. Due to their success, the policies are changing, forcing the producers to adapt their strategy. For instance, in Switzerland, the feed-in tariff system has been modified in 2018 to promote an electricity production from renewable energies that matches the demand. For small hydraulic power plants owners, such a change requires to increase the flexibility of their fleet. The SmallFLEX project, led by HES-SO Valais, aims at demonstrating on the pilot site of Gletsch-Oberwald owned by Forces Motrices Valaisannes SA, the possibilities to increase the flexibility of the power plant and to provide new services. The paper focuses on the methodology followed to warranty the use of the settling basin, the forebay tank, and the third upper part of the headrace tunnel as a new smart storage volume. By combining laboratory tests, numerical simulations, and on-site measurements, the new range of operating conditions has been defined. These data can be used to foresee economic gains. The methodology and the outputs of the project can be useful for performing such a study on other power plants.