In the past, when people talked about hydropower, the first thing they looked at was how much electricity it generated. But now that renewable energy is being connected to the grid on a massive scale, it’s time to rethink how we measure it.
According to an October 25 report by People’s Daily, cited by Sina Social Hot Topics, Yang Zongli, former director of the Wudongde Project Construction Department at China Three Gorges Corporation, said that large-scale hydropower should shift its focus from “contributing electricity” to “providing flexibility.”
Take the Wudongde project, with an installed capacity of 10.2 million kilowatts, as an example. It helps the Southern Power Grid manage two peak periods every day, with a maximum adjustment capacity of 9 million kilowatts—equivalent to that of six or seven pumped-storage power stations. Large-scale projects require enormous investment, but spending more does not necessarily make the system safer. The key is to accurately assess both the value of their flexibility and the investment costs.
According to an October 25 report by People’s Daily, cited by Sina Social Hot Topics, Yang Zongli, former director of the Wudongde Project Construction Department at China Three Gorges Corporation, said that large-scale hydropower should shift its focus from “contributing electricity” to “providing flexibility.”
Take the Wudongde project, with an installed capacity of 10.2 million kilowatts, as an example. It helps the Southern Power Grid manage two peak periods every day, with a maximum adjustment capacity of 9 million kilowatts—equivalent to that of six or seven pumped-storage power stations. Large-scale projects require enormous investment, but spending more does not necessarily make the system safer. The key is to accurately assess both the value of their flexibility and the investment costs.