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appropriations, non-federal cost-sharing partnerships, among others. In an ongoing effort to return the highest overall value to the nation from available funds, the Army Corps and Reclamation seek opportunities to work with their partners to: develop planning study solutions in a timely and cost-effective manner. to manage the cost, schedule, and scope of ongoing construction projects. to use risk analysis to prioritize capital investment and maintenance needs
Australia Upper Hunter Hydro awarded development agreement for pumped storage hydropower projects WaterNSW has recently granted a development agreement to Upper Hunter Hydro (UHH) to explore two significant pumped hydro projects with the capacity to store over 1000MW for 8-12 hours. These projects, situated at Glenbawn and Glennies Creek dams in the Hunter Valley, hold the potential to power more homes in the Upper Hunter region. As the selected candidate through a competitive process under WaterNSW’s Renewable Energy and Storage Program, UHH will have access to designated areas of WaterNSW land and reservoirs at Glenbawn and Glennies Creek dams near Scone and Singleton. The projects, spearheaded by Upper Hunter Hydro, also present an opportunity for integrated wind energy solutions. WaterNSW CEO Andrew George emphasized that these initiatives mark significant progress in advancing sustainability efforts and identifying renewable energy generation and storage prospects on WaterNSW properties. “We have an opportunity to not only assist the transition to a renewable energy power grid, but to also assist in the creation of jobs, support the local community, and generate revenue to put downward pressure on water costs for customers,” George said. “We are continuing to assess sites across our portfolio to identify further opportunities.” Collaborating closely with the NSW Government, WaterNSW aims to align its Renewable Energy and Storage Program with the State’s objectives outlined in the NSW Electricity Strategy. George underscored that this program aligns with the NSW Pumped Hydro Roadmap’s goal of attracting private sector investments in pumped hydro schemes. Glenbawn Dam, located east of Scone, and Glennies Creek Dam, north of Singleton, will serve as sites for UHH to conduct investigations and progress through feasibility and planning stages. UHH plans to secure all necessary approvals during this phase to move forward with construction and operation if successful. UHH anticipates that these projects could
create around 1400 construction jobs and 80 ongoing operational positions. UHH Director
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Mr. Turnbull emphasized the crucial role of pumped hydro in supporting industry and employment in the Hunter region. “Australia has abundant wind and solar generation, some of the best in the world. But the sun doesn’t always shine and the wind doesn’t always blow. Pumped hydro provides the long duration energy storage we need to make renewables available 24/7 and secure our clean energy future,” he said. UHH Director Mr Gill said that at over 1000MW capacity these projects will be much needed additions to Australia’s emerging suite of large energy storage projects. “UHH has a strong environmental sustainability focus and together with proven hydropower technology the projects will bring strong benefits to the region and the grid,” he said. SMEC and Lombardi are partnering to
provide Owners’ Engineer Services to UHH for the projects.
Vietnam Thordon Bearings’ polymer tech proving successful at Son La Plant hydropower plant Thordon Bearings has announced that its polymer bearing technology is gaining momentum in Vietnam’s hydropower market, thanks to the successful performance of its self- lubricating bearings retrofitted to five turbines at the Son La Hydropower plant. The Son La Hydropower project, located on the Ðà River in It Ong, Muong La District, Son La Province, is the largest hydropower dam in Southeast Asia. With dimensions including a length of 961.6m (3300ft), a crest height of 228m (748ft), a bottom width of 105m (304ft), and a crest width of 10m (33ft), the dam boasts a total installed capacity of 2400MW and an average annual electricity output exceeding 10 billion kWh through its six Francis-type turbines. Delta Marine & Industries, Thordon’s authorized distributor in Vietnam, collaborated with end user Vietnam Electricity (EVN) to find suitable replacements for the original metal polymer lined bearings. The retrofit included ThorPlas-Blue wicket gate and linkage bearings with washers, Thordon SXL operating ring wear pads, Thordon Thor-Flex wicket gate seals, and SXL upper and lower gate seals. Johnny Dao, Managing Director of Delta Marine & Industries, highlighted that Thordon’s hydro turbine bearings and seals are designed to effectively replace worn components in challenging environments like those at Son La. “Thordon’s grease-free bearing products for hydropower installation combine a very low coefficient of friction with low wear in abrasive water environment and high resistance to shock loading and vibration. They offer high pressure performance and resilience, as well as extremely long wear life,” he said. Axel Swanson, Thordon Bearings’ Business Development Manager - Hydro, Pump & Industrial, emphasized the importance of
finding a sustainable solution due to the premature failure of the original parts at Son La. “It was important to them that our products could perform well in the unique challenges of the application, as the high shock load of the existing wicket gates’ operating ring that had destroyed the existing wear pads. The original seals had also hardened after a few years, leading to cracks and leaks,” he explained. Thordon’s solution involved using Thor-
Flex and Thordon SXL for gate seals, SXL for operating ring wear pads, Thorseals as replacements for rubber seals, and ThorPlas- Blue for intermediate bearings. The successful operation of the new bearings and pads at the Son La Hydropower plant over the past four years has demonstrated their reliability and durability. Delta Marine & Industries is now planning to expand the use of Thordon products to the remaining turbines at the dam.
UK Wave energy has vital role in meeting net zero ambitions says new report A new report from LUT University Finland has highlighted the pivotal role of wave energy in achieving a cost-effective net zero energy system. According to the research findings, the UK should aim to harness 27GW of wave energy to realize this ambitious goal. This report coincides with a significant
milestone for Swedish developer CorPower who recently announced the successful commissioning of its first full-scale wave energy device. The report from LUT University delved into various scenarios for the UK and Ireland to transition to a 100% renewable energy system by 2050. Among these scenarios, one stood out: harnessing 27GW of wave energy capacity. This capacity is deemed essential to meet the burgeoning electricity demands projected to triple by 2050 while ensuring the lowest cost for a net zero energy system. CorPower Ocean’s breakthrough, marked by the successful deployment of its C4 machine off the coast of northern Portugal, addresses historical challenges faced by wave energy technologies, including survivability in storm conditions and efficient power generation in normal sea states.
“CorPower Ocean’s commercial-scale
breakthroughs in Portugal, demonstrates that wave energy is ready to realise its crucial role in a secure and cost-effective transition to net zero,” commented Marine Energy Council Policy Director Richard Arnold. “LUT University’s compelling report reinforces the importance of wave energy in the UK’s energy transition. The UK has the maritime expertise, offshore engineering experience and supply chains to lead the world in harnessing wave energy. It is critical that the UK Government provides a clear route to market and supports the wave energy
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