Coupling heat storage to nuclear reactors for variable electricity output with baseload reactor operation

Forsberg, Charles W.; Brick, Stephen; Haratyk, Geoffrey

doi:10.1016/j.tej.2018.03.008

Cited by 46 publications

(33 citation statements)

References 14 publications

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“…Since nuclear energy is both a large generator and has large "house loads," there exist many opportunities to locate behind-the-meter demand response or energy storage to shift electricity production and house loads for maximum economic benefit. This was shown to be economically valuable in the Finnish grid and for behind-the-meter lithium-ion battery storage, even though battery storage has not yet achieved economic competitiveness for pure energy arbitration (Forsberg, Brick, and Haratyk 2018;McLaren, Gagnon, and Mullendore 2017;Olkkonen et al 2018). Although there have been economic cases for electrical energy storage, the fact that nuclear energy generation is a thermal generator means it would likely be more economical to pair it with thermal energy…”

Section: Demand Response and Energy Storagementioning

confidence: 99%

Flexible Nuclear Energy for Clean Energy Systems

Bragg‐Sitton

Gorman

Burton

et al. 2020

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This commitment is reflected in our continued support of technology development and innovation in our current and future energy systems. Our organizations have each supported a variety of research and development activities and initiatives in collaboration with national laboratories, academia, and industry partners that explore and utilize different technologies to meet a variety of energy demands. Nuclear energy is an important part of the global clean energy supply, providing nearly one-third of the world's non-emitting electricity and complementing and enabling other clean energy sources, including renewables. Recognizing this current and future potential for nuclear energy, the Nuclear Innovation: Clean Energy Future (NICE Future) initiative was launched in 2018 at the Ninth CEM in Copenhagen, Denmark. Since its launch, the NICE Future initiative has succeeded in initiating broad, cross-sectoral dialogue among CEM member countries to highlight the roles that nuclear energy can play in bolstering economic growth, energy security, and access, and environmental stewardship. This includes exploring and building awareness about how innovative nuclear energy technologies across both large and small-scale applications, such as small modular reactors (SMRs) and other advanced reactors, can drive clean growth. To explore and communicate the increasingly flexible roles that nuclear energy technologies can play in integrated clean energy systems of the future, the NICE Future initiative proudly launched the Flexible Nuclear Campaign for Nuclear-Renewables Integration (Flexible Nuclear Campaign) at the 10 th CEM in Vancouver, Canada in 2019. The International Energy Agency's (IEA's) 2019 World Energy Outlook forecasts that electricity generation from variable renewables could range from 36% to 67% by 2040. As more renewables connect to the grid, many countries are developing innovative options to employ more flexible operation of traditional and base load energy sources, like nuclear, to produce electricity and heat to meet demand. This report brought together experts from around the globe to share expertise and study opportunities for innovative and advanced nuclear systems to operate flexibly and work in tandem with renewables, contributing to clean energy systems of the future. As demonstrated in technical analyses summarized in this report, nuclear energy offers flexibility in certain electricity markets around the world, and new nuclear technologies could extend the versatility of nuclear energy systems further. At its most basic, nuclear energy can operate flexibly by ramping power output up or down to match grid demand; however, nuclear energy's services extend beyond just electricity generation. Around the world, research is underway to explore how nuclear systems can use generated thermal

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Section: Demand Response and Energy Storagementioning

confidence: 99%

Flexible Nuclear Energy for Clean Energy Systems

Bragg‐Sitton

Gorman

Burton

et al. 2020

Self Cite

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“…Numerous investigations of so-called hybrid energy systems have been conducted during the past decade. [22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30] Hybrid energy systems are typically designed to leverage the operating strengths of diverse power generation sources. Hybrid Nuclear Energy System concepts ( Fig.…”

Section: Rnpps As Elements Of Hybrid Energy Systemsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Enhancing Electric Grid, Critical Infrastructure, and Societal Resilience with Resilient Nuclear Power Plants (rNPPs)

Greene¹

2018

Nuclear Technology

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This paper, the fourth in a series, presents the results of a study conducted to explore the role current U.S. commercial nuclear power plants (NPPs) play and the role a new type of NPP-a resilient nuclear power plant (rNPP)-could play in enhancing U.S. electric Grid, Critical Infrastructure, and societal resilience. A rNPP is a NPP intentionally designed, sited, interfaced, and operated in a manner to enhance Grid resilience. Four specific rNPP applications are discussed: (1) rNPPs as "flexible operations" electricity generation assets, (2) rNPPs as anchors of nuclear hybrid energy systems, (3) rNPPs as Grid Black Start Resources, and (4) rNPPs as anchors of Resilient Critical Infrastructure Islands. These four applications, individually and collectively, could enhance U.S. Grid, Critical Infrastructure, and societal resilience during normal conditions and in the wake of major national calamities stemming from natural hazards and/or malevolent human actions. rNPPs would be both tactical and strategic resilience assets, thereby extending the value proposition of nuclear energy well beyond that associated with nuclear power's traditional baseload electricity generation. These are important topics as society grows increasingly dependent on electricity, and the natural hazard and malevolent human threat portfolio to the Grid continues to evolve.

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“…These storage costs would more than double electricity costs. 2 In contrast the DOE thermal energy storage goal for concentrated solar power systems is $15/kW•h of heat. Because heat storage is much less expensive than work (electricity) storage, heat storage for variable electricity production with base-load nuclear plant operation can improve nuclear plant revenue.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The heat from storage may be in the form of steam to the main turbines or to the LWR feedwater system. 2,3 The temperature of heat from storage will be lower than the steam temperature sent to storage because of inefficiencies in any storage system. The returning steam may go to the intermediate pressure turbine or it may be sent to feedwater heaters.…”

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Variable and Assured Peak Electricity Production from Base-Load Light-Water Reactors with Heat Storage and Auxiliary Combustible Fuels

Forsberg

2018

Nuclear Technology

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In a low-carbon world (nuclear, wind, solar, and hydro) there is the need for assured dispatchable electricity to replace the historical role of fossil fuels. Base-load reactors can provide variable electricity to the grid by (1) sending some of their output (steam) to storage at times of low electricity prices and (2) using stored heat to produce added peak electricity at times of high electricity prices. Heat storage (steam accumulators, sensible heat, etc.) is less expensive than electricity storage (batteries, hydro pumped storage, etc.). The added cost of incrementally larger or standalone turbine generators for peak electricity production is small. However, energy storage systems (heat or electricity) can't provide assured capacity for extreme events, be it supply side (extended low-wind or low-solar conditions in systems with high wind or solar capacity) or demand side (long periods of cold or hot weather). With heat storage systems there is the option to provide peak electricity output when heat storage is depleted by heat addition with a water-tube boiler using natural gas, biofuels, or ultimately hydrogen. Fuel consumption for assured peaking capacity is small because most of the time the heat storage system meets peak electricity demands. The same systems enable reliable low-cost heat production for industry. Such systems enable an all nuclear or nuclear/hydro/ wind/solar/geothermal low-carbon electricity grid.

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Coupling heat storage to nuclear reactors for variable electricity output with baseload reactor operation

Cited by 46 publications

References 14 publications

Flexible Nuclear Energy for Clean Energy Systems

Flexible Nuclear Energy for Clean Energy Systems

Enhancing Electric Grid, Critical Infrastructure, and Societal Resilience with Resilient Nuclear Power Plants (rNPPs)

Variable and Assured Peak Electricity Production from Base-Load Light-Water Reactors with Heat Storage and Auxiliary Combustible Fuels

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