Hydropower & other renewables |


Hydro partners up with hydrogen


National US laboratories have teamed up with Idaho Power to evaluate hydrogen generation integrated with hydropower


AS THE US CONTINUES to add intermittent renewable energy sources such as wind and solar to the mix, maximising the use of stable, reliable and efficient clean energy sources is vital. Hydropower is one of the most reliable sources of renewable energy. Now, Idaho National Laboratory (INL) is partnering with Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) and Idaho Power to evaluate the feasibility and advantages of making hydropower more flexible by producing hydrogen at existing hydropower plants. Integrating hydrogen production with hydropower can enhance grid stability through energy storage, reoxygenate water for downstream environmental improvements and support decarbonising energy production in Idaho. The data, models and analyses developed through this partnership will help determine the viability of hydropower and hydrogen integration, both for Idaho and facilities across the US. “INL and PNNL will evaluate the coupling of


Below: Brownlee Dam is one of the US dams under consideration for integrating hydrogen generation at its facility


electrolytic hydrogen production technologies with hydropower plants to identify scenarios that could help Idaho Power achieve its goal of providing 100% clean energy by 2045,” said Brett Dumas, Idaho Power’s Director of Environmental Affairs. This approach will help maximise use of the clean energy produced by Idaho Power’s 17 hydroelectric power plants.


The benefits Most renewable energy generation technologies face


the challenge of varying power output. Hydropower


generates power more consistently than other renewable energy sources, and adding hydrogen production can increase flexibility to help balance wind and solar generation. This is especially important during hours of peak electricity use. Hydrogen storage could benefit the energy grid


by storing electricity in the spring, when hydropower is abundant, and making it available during periods of peak demand in the summer. In the spring, melting snowpack increases streamflow used for hydro generation when temperatures are mild and energy demand is relatively low. Harnessing some of that hydropower to run electrolysers for hydrogen generation would preserve some of that energy for the hot summer months when air conditioners and irrigation pumps drive up electricity demand. Hydrogen produced by using excess electricity


from hydropower can be easily converted back into electricity when needed. There are two methods of generating power from hydrogen: fuel cells or combustion turbines fueled either exclusively 1) by hydrogen or 2) a hydrogen and natural gas blend. Storing and using hydrogen in times of peak


energy demand can help with the transition toward clean energy by reducing the need for supplemental fossil-based power from outside the hydro plant. “By capturing the off-peak energy production as


hydrogen, the hydrogen can be re-electrified during periods of peak energy demand,” said INL’s Daniel Wendt, principal investigator and researcher on the project. “Storing hydrogen as a fuel could help stabilise the grid and offer a cleaner alternative to fossil-fuel backup power generation. This approach could give electrical system operators greater flexibility to ensure reliable and economical service.”


Addressing depleted oxygen Dissolved oxygen in a river is necessary for fish and


other aquatic species.The excess oxygen produced as a byproduct of hydrogen generation could also address water quality issues in rivers when reservoirs behind dams may have low levels of dissolved oxygen, particularly during summer and early fall. One of the approaches for increasing the dissolved oxygen levels downstream of hydropower plants involves spilling water from the reservoir into the river below. The spilled water cannot be used for electricity generation. INL and PNNL researchers will evaluate the potential of using excess oxygen generated by the hydrogen generation process to increase oxygen levels of water in rivers with hydropower plants. “Idaho Power is already seeing positive results from using aeration to add oxygen into the water flowing out of Brownlee Dam in Hells Canyon,” Dumas said.


26 | January 2024 | www.waterpowermagazine.com


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