Vienna (OTS) – Increasing global warming is increasingly leading to lower annual rainfall in some regions of Europe – especially in the south. Drought periods are also becoming more frequent and longer, while at the same time storms with heavy rainfall are increasing. The consulting company Afry has now examined what these weather developments mean for the hydropower country Austria on behalf of Oestereichs Energie. The study shows that, contrary to many fears, Austrian hydropower is actually becoming more important due to the changing climate: the fact that the annual rainfall amounts remain the same in the coming decades and the shift in rainfall to the winter months contributes to reducing the supply gap in the cold season. Storage and pumped storage power plants are not only suitable for balancing fluctuations in wind and photovoltaic (PV) generation in the electricity system, they are also able to dampen regional extreme events and compensate for fluctuations in water supply. A further expansion of storage and pumped storage power plants is therefore essential.
Hydropower was and is the secure basis of Austria’s electricity supply. Around 60 percent of the electricity produced in Austria currently comes from this area. A current study commissioned by Oesterreichs Energie now shows that this generation technology continues to play an important role in the face of global warming and is even expanding it in some respects. From past and present observations, there is a constant or even slightly increasing trend in annual rainfall in large parts of Austria. According to forecasts, future annual outflows are also stable for decades.
More water in winter
With the rising temperatures, an interesting aspect comes into play with regard to the temporal distribution of runoff over the year. “We are already seeing significant shifts over the course of the year,” explains Martin Fuchs, Head of Hydro Consulting at Afry Austria: “In the summer half of the year, there is an overall decline in runoff due to longer dry periods, but in the winter half of the year we record notable increases in almost all regions.
“In view of the ongoing expansion of renewables, this is good news,” says Karl Heinz Gruber, spokesman for the generation division at Oesterreichs Energie: “As the energy system transforms into a renewable future, the demand for electricity is increasing significantly. Estimates from Austria’s Energy assume that renewable generation will need to be tripled in order to achieve climate neutrality. Due to the massive expansion in the areas of photovoltaics and wind, we will have enough or even too much electricity in the summer. However, there is a significant gap in winter. From this perspective, the fact that electricity generation from hydropower is increasingly shifting to the colder months is definitely positive.
”
Adapt hydroelectric power plants to new circumstances
Modernization measures are being taken to adapt the hydroelectric power plants to these new conditions as best as possible. Special turbine configurations, for example, offer greater flexibility and the opportunity to reduce losses in the event of high discharges and at the same time use small amounts of water efficiently. “In addition, the existing storage and pumped storage power plants must be expanded in terms of flexibility and storage capacity and additional systems must be built,” explains Gruber: “Due to their large storage volume, Alpine reservoirs could be used in the future to compensate for seasonal fluctuations in water supply and to reduce the negative effects of dry periods on the water balance and electricity production.
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Storage as the key to integrating renewables
Storage and pumped storage also play an important role in stabilizing the electricity system, which will be fully renewable in the future. “In addition to grid expansion, our storage and pumped storage power plants provide the conditions to smooth out the fluctuating production volumes from the wind and PV systems in the system and thus ensure a safe and reliable power supply
“, explains Barbara Schmidt, Secretary General of Austria’s Energy. “With all ambitions in the area of renewables, a continuous and consistent expansion of hydropower as a predictable supplier of CO2-free domestic base load and as a provider of sustainable storage and flexibility must always be taken into account
”, so Schmidt.
The full study can be found online
Questions & Contact:
Austria’s energy
Christian Zwittnig
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