Sustainable operation of hydropower plants in energy systems – short, medium, and long term

The joint research project FLOW aims to redefine the role of hydropower in renewable energy systems and to enhance the utilization of hydropower through innovative forecasting, optimization, and control approaches for different planning horizons. New operation strategies for integrated water and energy systems that consider ecological and economic constraints are being developed and transferred into robust assistance systems for control centers. In addition, a fully automated water management control system for a Danube hydropower cascade is being developed and implemented at the Gersthofen control center of LEW Hydropower. The system takes technical, ecological, and regulatory requirements into account while optimizing electricity generation.

The main contributions of the ASN Group are:

• Derivation of models for the integrated representation of water and energy systems as a consistent basis for decision-making.
• Design of robust optimization and control algorithms for generating dispatch recommendations under uncertain forecasts and water management constraints.
• Development and provision of algorithms for a control center assistance system.