Techno-Economic Analysis of Pumped-Hydro Compressed Air Energy Storage System for Retrofit of Cascade Hydropower Stations
Deng Hanyu1, Chen Yanbo1,2,3, Zhang Ning1, Ma Mingke1, Zhang Zhi1
1. State Key Laboratory of Alternate Electrical Power System with Renewable Energy Sources North China Electric Power University Beijing 102206 China; 2. Qinghai Institute of Technology Xining 810016 China; 3. Key Laboratory of Smart Operation of New Energy Power System Ministry of Education Qinghai University Xining 810016 China
Abstract：The increasing penetration of intermittent renewable energy sources requires significant enhancements in the regulation capabilities of modern power systems. While retrofitting cascade hydropower into hybrid pumped-hydro energy storage (HPES) offers a solution, traditional reversible-pump turbine (RT) methods are hindered by low storage density and flood-season curtailment. To address these challenges, this study proposes a novel retrofit scheme based on pumped-hydro compressed air energy storage (PH-CAES) and systematically evaluates its techno-economic feasibility under variable operating conditions. The proposed PH-CAES system repurposes idle construction tunnels as air-water storage vessels (ASV), significantly reducing civil engineering costs compared to newly excavated caverns. Unlike conventional constant-volume CAES, the ASV utilizes a hydraulic connection to the upper reservoir, allowing water inflow and outflow to compensate for air volume changes. This mechanism maintains a quasi-isobaric environment for the compressed air, thereby optimizing the efficiency of turbomachinery. To rigorously assess this system, a dynamic operation model was established to quantify the off-design performance of compressors and expanders, complemented by a finite volume method to verify the heat transfer performance of the packed-bed thermal storage. Building upon these physical models, a comprehensive techno-economic analysis model was developed to calculate the dynamic payback period (DPP) and levelized cost of storage (LCOS). Simulation results indicate that under rated design conditions, the PH-CAES system achieves a round-trip efficiency of 71.60%, a DPP of 8.06 years, and an LCOS of 0.210 8 CNY/(kW·h). However, practical operation is inevitably influenced by hydrological variability. Accounting for hydrological variability across wet, normal, and dry years, the resulting off-design operation increases the expected DPP to 8.65 years and the LCOS to 0.225 4 CNY/(kW·h). Sensitivity analysis reveals that the number of annual cycles and the electricity purchase price are the most critical economic drivers, with sensitivities exceeding 108 CNY, whereas the impact of water head variation is mitigated by the limited fluctuation range typical of cascade stations. A comparative analysis against alternative retrofit technical routes highlights the advantages of the proposed scheme. While independent AA-CAES generates the highest revenue, its high investment results in a prolonged DPP of 10.70 years. Conversely, retrofitting with RT offers the lowest investment cost but suffers from the lowest revenue and a DPP of 9.72 years, primarily due to the inability to store energy when the upper reservoir is spilling water during flood seasons. The proposed PH-CAES scheme achieves the optimal balance between investment and revenue, delivering the best comprehensive economic performance. Furthermore, by facilitating the reuse of water resources, the system reduces the water consumption rate of the cascade station to 2.216 6 m3/(kW·h), outperforming both the original station and the independent CAES scheme. These findings demonstrate that the PH-CAES retrofit provides a robust and economically superior pathway for upgrading cascade hydropower stations, particularly at sites with high hydraulic heads and stable geological conditions.
邓涵宇, 陈艳波, 张宁, 马明克, 张智. 面向梯级水电改造的抽水耦合压缩空气储能系统技术经济性分析[J]. 电工技术学报, 2026, 41(11): 3921-3936.
Deng Hanyu, Chen Yanbo, Zhang Ning, Ma Mingke, Zhang Zhi. Techno-Economic Analysis of Pumped-Hydro Compressed Air Energy Storage System for Retrofit of Cascade Hydropower Stations. Transactions of China Electrotechnical Society, 2026, 41(11): 3921-3936.
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