Optimal Utilization of the Norwegian Hydropower System
Doctoral thesis
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Date
2008Metadata
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- Institutt for elkraftteknikk [2500]
Abstract
The topic of this thesis is optimal utilization of the Norwegian hydropower system. There are numerous challenges to be solved on the road to reach such an ambitious target, and this thesis cannot cover them all in depth.
This thesis contributes in the following key areas:
• It suggests changes in the scheduling tools for hydropower:
o Improving short-term scheduling models by applying stochastic modelling
o Combining different optimization techniques constructing new better methods
o Improving the coupling between the stategy by use of iterative dual dynamic programming
• The power market is one of the basic boundary conditions for the utilization of hydropower. The thesis presents a market simulator based on Bertrand competition with capacity constraints for market surveillance. Applying this model shows that large utilities may have market power in situations where the transmission system limits access to the market
• The theme of hydropower and climate change has been addressed by the Nordic Energy Research in a Scandinavian perspective. In this thesis a local perspective is used to investigate the impact on the Orkla and Numedal river systems. A local and more detailed calculation can be used to establish results which can be used in biological studies. These results do not necessarily coincide with the more aggregated results.
• The last topic the thesis discusses is the challenge of getting research results implemented in industry. The faster results from research and development can be established in industry, the sooner the utility value from improved methods can be realized. The conclusion collects the threads and connects them to the challenge of optimal utilization of hydropower. Just as important is the proposal for future work. Here it is suggested how the challenge can be further broken down, and how today’s approach can be adapted to expected future developments in the power industry.