This text is taken from the Courrier de la Planète. Click here to subscribe.
Over the next few years, the wind energy sector is destined to experience significant development in Quebec. Martin Roth, one of our readers, inquires about the possibility of building wind farms near existing hydroelectric dams. “I see advantages, he writes: easy connection to the network, modulation of supply and demand with the dam, installation far from inhabited areas. »
The idea is far from being far-fetched, says Bernard Saulnier, a retired Hydro-Québec engineer who has devoted his career to wind energy.
There are indeed “natural synergies” between wind turbines and hydroelectric reservoirs, explains Mr. Saulnier. When the wind blows, the large propellers generate electricity. When the wind calms down, the valves can be opened, and the hydroelectric turbines take over. Thus, regardless of the weather, we generate current.
Obviously, this principle of complementarity applies wherever the power stations are located in the network. However, if the two types of equipment share the same site, they can route their energy to the centers of consumption through the same transmission lines. We therefore need fewer cables and fewer pylons.
Over the next few years, Hydro-Québec will renovate its old hydroelectric power stations to generate 2,000 megawatts of additional power (about 5% of its total capacity). As long as they carry out work in hydroelectric complexes, “they could combine that with wind power,” thinks Mr. Saulnier.
In terms of social acceptability, one can imagine that the addition of propellers in landscapes already denatured by huge concrete structures would not cause too much controversy. This would obviously have to be confirmed with the local Aboriginal communities, underlines Mr. Saulnier. The agreement between Hydro-Québec and the Crees is currently the subject of discussions.
Elsewhere in the world
The combination mentioned by Mr. Roth is part of the family of “hybrid” energy systems. A hybrid system often cited is that of photovoltaic panels floating on hydroelectric reservoirs, whose large-scale deployment could generate thousands of terawatt hours per year worldwide, according to an American study. For the moment, however, it seems that hydro-wind systems (on the same geographical site) are rather rare in the world.
Note, however, that in 2016, the company GE Renewable Energy said it was working on a project in Germany, where the foot of wind turbines was to serve as a reservoir containing millions of liters of water. Thanks to the energy of the wind, water could be pumped into it, which would then be released to a hydroelectric plant at the right time. (Contacted by Le Devoir, the company was unable to confirm that the project had indeed gone ahead, seven years after its announcement.)
We should add that, in southern Europe, we are starting to think of wind energy to give a boost to hydroelectric power stations, the performance of which could drop by 15% to 20% if the global thermometer rises by 3°C. . Researchers are therefore trying to assess whether it would be worth installing wind turbines near existing dams, often located in the hollow of mountain valleys in this region of the world.
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