Abstract
The development of variable renewable energy sources (VRESs), such as wind and solar photovoltaic (PV), has become a strategic choice for ensuring the security of electricity supplies and the decarbonization of power systems. The hybridization of hydropower with VRESs is an important measure for guaranteeing the smooth and cost-effective integration of VRESs into the power system. However, the highly variable weather- and climate-driven spatial and temporal fluctuations in VRES performance have significant potential to affect the optimal trajectory of hydropower operations. Therefore, it is essential to understand how hydropower responds to VRESs over long-term horizons, thereby allowing informed operation decisions to be made for hybrid generation systems (HGSs). In this study, a long- and short-term nested operation model is developed for hydropower operations considering PV integration. Specifically, the long-term model determines the day-by-day hydropower production over many years, and the short-term model simulates the day-ahead generation scheduling and real-time operation processes of the HGS. Performance metrics are established for evaluating the complementary operation in comparison with separate operation of hydropower and PV plants. China's two representative hydro-PV HGSs (Zhongyu and Longyangxia) are selected as case studies. The results indicate that the hybrid generation of hydropower and PV could, on average, increase total electricity generation by 11.33 %, reduce the load loss rate by 9.31 %, and decrease the PV curtailment rate by 36.60 %. However, hydro-PV hybridization may lead to an increase of 9.22 % in the water spillage rate and a decrease of 0.094 kWh/m3 in the water–electricity conversion coefficient. Therefore, hybrid generation of hydropower and PV could further enhance energy yield and supply reliability. Also, the importance of improving hydropower flexibility is highlighted.
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