Complementary scheduling rules for hybrid pumped storage hydropower-photovoltaic power system reconstructing from conventional cascade hydropower stations

Abstract

The reconstruction of conventional cascade hydropower plants (CHP) into hybrid pumped storage hydropower plants (HPSH) by adding a pumping station has the potential to increase the hydropower's flexibility and promote the consumption of renewable energy into the power grid. However, the complex hydraulic and electric connections between cascade hydropower stations and multi-energy sources pose challenges to safe and economic operation. This study explores the complementary scheduling for hybrid pumped storage hydropower-photovoltaic (HPSH-PV) system and evaluates the operation benefit and risk. First, the complementary scheduling rules that consider the demand for long-distance and across-regions power transmission are proposed to guide the peak-shaving operation of the system. Then a case study is performed with a hydro-PV complementary project in China, and the benefit and risks are evaluated quantitatively while considering the uncertainty of PV power prediction. The results demonstrate that after a pumping station is added (1) the power generation profit can be increased, especially in the dry seasons and the upstream reservoir; (2) the regulation capacity and power-supply reliability of the upstream reservoir is increased, while that of the downstream reservoir is slightly reduced; (3) the reservoir water level fluctuation and operation risk increase, but it can be lowered as the inflow increases.