Industry insight 2023 |
Above: DAMSAT is an eye-in-the-sky for dam operators
derived data which is integrated with
terrestrial observations and recordings. The system employs machine learning algorithms, programmed by HR Wallingford’s experts in dam engineering and artificial intelligence, to produce actionable information that owners, operators and regulators can use to help keep their assets in prime condition. DAMSAT was developed for tailings and water dams and has been deployed successfully in Europe and South America. HR Wallingford, working with the UK Space Agency and other partners, is now delivering an ambitious international expansion programme in order to help vulnerable communities worldwide. From a personal perspective, Hirst says, he
is really excited by the prospect that DAMSAT offers, particularly in the field of consequence planning. The system incorporates the huge base of knowledge within HR Wallingford in terms of breach, flood and life safety modelling. These greatly assist the development of contingency plans and could lead to significant higher levels of preparedness in the event of future disasters, such as those experienced during 2023.
Julian David Hunt, Research Scientist at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology
Pumped hydro storage has long been a stalwart in the energy storage landscape, providing essential support for daily power demands. Traditionally used for hourly or daily energy storage, this technology is at a crossroads. With the rapid reduction in the cost of batteries, it is evident that pumped hydro storage must evolve to remain relevant. In the not-so-distant future, we can expect pumped storage to serve a much broader purpose, offering energy storage solutions in daily, weekly, monthly, and seasonal cycles, all while providing crucial water management services. This transformation means that pumped
storage facilities will boast impressive water storage capacities combined with relatively low installed capacities. These facilities are set to
Above: Julian David Hunt says the future of pumped hydro storage is far from one-dimensional
34 | December 2023 |
www.waterpowermagazine.com
become adaptable multi-purpose reservoirs, facilitating long-term energy storage and more. One of the significant advantages they bring to the table is their role in water management, including minimizing water evaporation, leaving minimal environmental impact, preserving river streams, and aiding in drought alleviation and flood control. These services are increasingly crucial as countries adapt to the challenges posed by climate change. Another underutilized aspect is its potential to store cold energy. During the winter, these reservoirs can accumulate cold in their lower layers, which can then be harnessed to meet cooling demands during the summer months. For example, just a one-degree Celsius reduction in temperature in a full Lake Mead reservoir can fulfill a remarkable 1% of the global cooling demand in 2021, highlighting the vast potential of these reservoirs to contribute to our cooling needs while reducing the strain on conventional cooling systems.
In conclusion, the future of pumped hydro
storage is far from one-dimensional. These facilities are set to transform into versatile and sustainable assets that cater to diverse energy storage needs.
Christine Lins, Executive Director and Co-Founder of the Global Women’s Network for the Energy Transition
We all know that the Paris Agreement means nothing less than a total decarbonisation of the energy sector at least by 2050 and that renewables play a major role in that process. And with national governments increasingly recognising the economic and social benefits of renewables, considering that the workforce in the renewable energy sector is predicted to rise from 13.7 million jobs today to about 42 million jobs in 2050, the attraction of female talent will be crucial to ensure a thriving sector. The Global Women’s Network for the Energy
Transition (GWNET), a non-profit membership association registered in Austria in 2017, works on empowering women in energy through
Christine Lins
advocacy, networking and mentoring. GWNET currently has over 4000 members (both individual and corporate) from 150 countries and throughout the year has continued to empower women in energy worldwide, while working towards attracting new talent to the sector. GWNET has contributed to two new studies:
Europe’s Energy Transition: Women’s Power in Solving the Labour Bottleneck, and Power with Full Force – Getting to Gender Equality in the Hydropower Sector. There was a fantastic team working across GWNET on these projects and they spoke to many inspiring and passionate women who will hopefully find the studies useful. Together with various international partners, GWNET has also launched a series of new mentoring programmes, involving over 300 women as mentees from all around the globe, including: Women in Energy Storage with ESMAP, Women in Power Sector Transformation with NREL, Energising women to advance the energy transition with the German government and GIZ Women in Renewable Energy Africa with IFC.
Malcolm Woolf, President and CEO of the National Hydropower Association
2023 has been a banner year for the National Hydropower Association (NHA) in the US. As the voice of the US hydropower industry,
the organisation has expanded its work to sustain and grow water power decades into the future and am particularly excited to share three developments from the past year: 1. Our advocacy in Washington is yielding results: NHA worked hard to make sure lawmakers valued water power when crafting the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law; we even conceived the law’s infrastructure grant programme that ultimately secured over US$900 million for hydropower, pumped storage and marine energy projects around the country. In 2023, federal dollars from the legislation stated to flow, helping to grow our industry and maintain existing fleets, with 66 hydroelectric facilities receiving the first US$38 million. Even amidst Washington’s dysfunction, we’re uniting leaders from both sides of the aisle in support of our industry.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45
