Large-scale hydropower modelling in open source tools: an open-access based approach for energy inflow and run-of-river generation modelling

Large-scale energy system models are needed to investigate the most efficient ways of designing a carbon dioxide-free power system for the future. Spine, a set of open-source energy system modelling tools developed in an EU project, is an example of such a model. Accurate modelling of hydropower is essential for large-scale energy system models due to the important role of hydropower. A particular challenge in modelling hydropower is the large quantity of data that must be collected and processed, including technical parameters and hydrological time series data, such as energy inflow to reservoirs, as well as run-of-river generation.

The main challenge in obtaining this weather-dependent data is converting publicly available hydrological data into an energy representation for a specific area. This research proposes an open-access based approach for modelling reservoir energy inflow and run-of-river generation, which is expected to be generalized on a global scale. Furthermore, the aim is to develop an open-access database containing inflow and run-of-river generation time series data for European countries.