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ePaper created 2014-06-03, 15:03:20 | version 1.30.01
45 02 RENEWABLES 2014 GLOBAL STATUS REPORT exemptions for pumped storage facilities from grid charges under certain conditions.37 However, pumped storage has always had relevance outside the context of variable resources. For instance, Japan’s 26 GW of pumped storage capacity (in addition to 22 GW of conventional hydropower capacity), was conceived primarily as load-following support to baseload nuclear power; going forward, it will be used increasingly to balance variable resources.38 Any shortage of transmission capacity and interconnection can constrain both access to hydropower resources and their potential for balancing variable renewable resources.39 Trans- border interconnections conceived primarily to facilitate flow of hydropower include the Eastern Electricity Highway between Ethiopia and Kenya, which was launched in 2013 and could carry up to 2 GW upon completion, planned for 2018.40 The 1,800 kilometre Central American SIEPACi interconnection was largely completed in 2013, improving transmission capacity and reliability across the region. Despite its modest scale (300 MW capacity), it is regarded as an opportunity to increase implementation of large and small renewable energy projects, including hydropower.41 In North America, at least two interconnection projects were under consideration in 2013 to bring Canadian hydropower to U.S. markets: the controversial Northern Pass project that would supply 1,200 MW of baseload power from HydroQuebec (Canada) to New England, and an agreement to complement a North Dakota wind farm with 250 MW of balancing supply from Manitoba Hydro (Canada).42 In 2013, the World Bank Group announced that it remains committedtoenvironmentallyandsociallysustainablehydropower projects of all sizes and types, highlighting hydropower’s role in climate change mitigation, but also its vulnerability to any climate-related water scarcity.43 Uncertainty regarding the future impact of climate change on hydropower and other renewable energy technologies—including energy production, policies, and markets—prompted Norway’s Statkraft to launch an R&D programme on the topic.44 ■■ HYDROPOWER INDUSTRY Hydropower capacity additions in the five-year period end-2008 to 2013 were significantly greater than during the previous five years.45 However, despite a significant jump in new capacity in 2013, the intake of new orders for some major companies declined relative to 2012. For example, Andritz Hydro (Austria) reported that both sales and new orders were down from very high levels in previous years, although project activity was deemed satisfactory for small-scale hydropower.46 New orders were down for Voith Hydro (Germany) as well. Sales increased by 6% in the 2012–13 fiscal year, but the market was below Voith’s expectations. However, the company noted that the market for plant modernisation is a major driver of new orders in many regions.47 Voith also announced advances in the area of very large generating units (such as the 784 MW turbines supplied to the Xiluodu plant in China), as well as small in-stream and low-head units, such as its prototype StreamDiver.48 Alstom (France) noted a slowdown in demand for new capacity but growing demand for rehabilitation of the ageing stock of existing plants.49 Aiming to strengthen its capacity in China, Alstom inaugurated its upgraded hydropower industrial site in Tianjin, which supplied four 800 MW Francis turbines to the Xiangjiaba plant in 2012–13.50 Alstom also inaugurated a global hydropower technology centre in Grenoble, France, for all of its hydropower R&D.51 Dongfang’s(China)productionofhydropowerturbine-generators was reported to be 4.2 GW in 2013, up 28.6% from 2012. A company highlight for the year was installation of a 770 MW unit at the Xiluodu plant. Harbin (also in China) produced 3.2 GW of hydropower turbine-generators during the year, a decrease of 3.7% relative to 2012.52 The hydropower industry is tackling projects of ever-larger capacity, and manufacturers are setting new records for capacity of individual turbines (≥800 MW per unit). At the same time, there are indications of a trend towards reduced reservoir capacity and the development of multi-turbine run-of-river projects, as seen in Brazil. As part of this trend, the industry has been developing more-flexible turbines that can adapt to varying flow rates. The use of multiple in-stream turbines in place of few large ones requires different technology, materials, and expertise.53 Another trend is the rise of regional approaches to system development, including interconnection, and a view of hydropower as complementing other renewable energy technologies.54 OCEAN ENERGY ■■ OCEAN ENERGY MARKETS Ocean energy refers to any energy harnessed from the ocean by means of ocean waves, tidal range (rise and fall), tidal currents, ocean (permanent) currents, temperature gradients, and salinity gradients.1 At the end of 2013, global ocean energy capacity was about 530 MW, with most of this coming under the category of tidal power.2 The largest ocean energy facilities in operation are all tidal projects and are used for electricity generation. They include the 254 MW Sihwa plant in South Korea (completed in 2011), the 240 MW Rance station in France (1966), the 20 MW Annapolis plant in Nova Scotia, Canada (1984), and the 3.9 MW Jiangxia plant in China (1980).3 Other projects are smaller, and many are pre-commercial demonstration projects, with a notable concentration of tidal and wave energy development installations (about 11 MW) in the United Kingdom. Although no commercial capacity additions were identified for 2013, some large pilot machines were installed at the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) in Orkney, Scotland. Alstom (France) deployed its 1 MW tidal stream turbine there in early 2013, which subsequently reached full power operation; further testing was to continue into 2014.4 Another tidal turbine deployed at EMEC in 2013 was the 1 MW HyTide unit by Voith Hydro Ocean Current Technologies (Germany), following testing of a smaller model in South Korea.5 Several large projects were also granted consent in 2013 and early 2014, with construction expected to begin within the next i - Sistema de Interconexión Eléctrica de los Países de América Central.