Grant: Collaborative Research and Development Grants

The overall objective of this research is to develop a way of optimizing the operation of a large scale hydro system, such as BC Hydro's (BCH), in close collaboration with the actual system operators and using their expertise and operational data sets. It is not possible to use a single technique to optimize the operation of large scale hydropower system as it is much too complex with too many planning and operational complexities and uncertainties. Instead, our approach is to develop a number of operations planning optimization ""modules"" that address parts of the overall ""problem"". These modules are useful in their own right for decision support, in the immediate term, but they are structured to fit within a comprehensive modeling and practical information flow framework for hydropower system operations. Research will focus on developing new and extending current ""modules"" that will help BCH system planners to operate the system at or near its maximum potential under climate change and other uncertainties. In addition, we plan to build upon and extend the framework while expanding our research program to address emerging policy issues and concerns such as climate change, integration of green and renewable sources of power, and to develop a new systems-engineering approach to address risks emanating from climate change impacts on hydropower systems. Feedback from BCH indicated that our approach have improved the methods and processes that are used in operations and in capital investments and have resulted in significant productivity and efficiency gains amounting to millions of dollars over the last several years. Other objectives of the agreement are to enhance the Civil Engineering program at UBC and strengthen collaboration between the UBC and BCH. In this proposal, we are requesting a two year NSERC CRD grant to supplement a Grant-in-Aid agreement between BCH and the University of British Columbia (UBC). The grant will be used to support an ongoing phase in a long-term research program and to build upon and extend the work already completed using the previous NSERC and BCH grants. We propose to continue these ""bridge-building"" activities and strengthen the program through this application.