Energy: Simulation of hydropower generation and reservoir management

Abstract

Within the hydropower module of DANUBIA, all large run-of-the-river and storage power plants in the Upper Danube basin are included. Potential and kinetic energy are used for the generation of hydroelectric power which depends mainly on discharge and drop height. For each hydropower plant, the discharge and the power output were simulated depending on a discharge-power output function for each modelled time step of 1 h. For annual comparability, the annual output was calculated whereof the hydraulicity was derived for the years 1960-2006. Moreover, a monthly based reservoir operation plan was included for each reservoir power plant considering basic reservoir operation rules. A validation was carried out for all hydropower plants, which are, with a coefficient of determination of 0.99, very well reproduced in DANUBIA. The mean simulated annual output of the run-of-the-river and reservoir power plants from 1971 to 2000 is shown, divided in the six subbasins Inn, Salzach, Isar, Lech, Iller and the remaining area of the Danube basin.