Power electronics for use in hydro power, renewable energy, and industrial waste energy recapture

Climate change is predicted to have major impacts on hydropower operations as weather extremes become more common. Typical hydropower facilities were designed and built to provide base load power. Further, increased addition of intermittent generation sources to the power grid over the last 20 years, such as solar and wind power, has resulted in hydropower operations being required to cycle on and off to accomodate dunamic grid changes caused by these power sources. Changes in climate and weather are also forcing hydropower operation outside of original design head and flow. Our project will compare and assess the two prevailing different generator types while being controlled by our innovative four quadrant invert platform. If successful, our results will offer a path forward that will allow hydropower to remain in continuous operation even with dynamic grid and hydrologic changes. In addition to helping hydropower operation, scalable power generation benefits the riverine environment by decreasing shoreline erosion, allowing more natural and consistent flow, facilitating continuous nutrient and oxygen flow, and stabilizing water temperatures all while decreasing stop/start cycling which causes damage to hydropower equipment.During Phase 2 we will test different generator types to better understand what type of generator functions best under variable water elevation and flow conditions. Once we demonstrate that our technology functions well in variable speed and power operation it can be adapted to capture energy in other renewable applications and industries where motor braking or reciprocating motion occurs. Motion energy that was once wasted as heat energy during the braking can be recaptured and reused. Our research will provide definitive data to the hydropower industry that will allow engineers to design future hydropower applications that can run continuously even with dynamically changing power grid conditions. Further, our research and ultimately our product will allow both renewable and waste energy to be easily captured and reused.