Study tests maximising hydropower efficiency with hydrogen production

The Idaho National Laboratory (INL) and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) have partnered with Idaho Power to investigate the economic impact of integrating hydrogen production with hydropower plants.

The project, funded by the US Department of Energy’s Water Power Technology Office, aims to mitigate the challenge of reduced revenue caused by inconsistent electricity demand or inconsistent water flows.

According to INL, both run-of-river and impoundment plants are less profitable during times of low demand.

“Especially in the spring, there are times when there’s a lot of water flow that can be used for hydropower generation, but the power demand is low and power generation isn’t particularly profitable,” said Dan Wendt, chemical engineer at INL and the principal investigator on the study.

The answer, suggests the researchers, is to introduce hydrogen production at hydroelectric plants to keep them operating at or near maximum capacity, thereby maximising profitability.  

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This will prevent water flowing through the dam without generating power or producing power that will be sold at low prices, they state.

The researchers used modelling to look at various deployment scenarios and evaluated case studies for Idaho Power to identify optimal applications.

“If the hydropower plant were integrated with a hydrogen production facility, they could store the clean hydrogen for power generation when the demand is high or sell the hydrogen into a chemical or transportation fuel market where the pricing is more consistent,” Wendt said.

The hydrogen can also be turned back into electricity when demand exceeds the plant’s capacity, explained INL, providing more grid support.

“Adding hydrogen enhances grid stability and creates a more flexible power plant,” concluded Wendt.

Idaho Power currently operates 17 hydroelectric plants on the Snake River and its tributaries, making up the largest portion of the company’s generation portfolio.