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Valuing energy flexibility from water systems

Nature Water (2024)Cite this article

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Abstract

Water systems represent an untapped source of electric power load flexibility, but determining the value of this flexibility requires quantitative comparisons to other grid-scale energy storage technologies and a compelling economic case for water system operators. Here we present a unified framework for representing water asset flexibility using grid-scale energy storage metrics (round-trip efficiency, energy capacity and power capacity) and assessing the technoeconomic benefits of energy flexibility at the water facility scale (levelized cost of water and levelized value of flexibility). We apply this framework to case studies of an advanced water treatment (desalination) plant, a water distribution network and a wastewater treatment plant. The framework reveals strengths and limitations of water system flexibility relative to other grid-scale energy storage solutions, high-value opportunities for flexible load operation of water assets and the critical role of electricity tariff structures and energy service markets in determining water sector participation in load flexibility. Ultimately, this unified framework for valuating water asset flexibility enables both electricity and water asset managers to prioritize investments based on levelized cost comparisons across their respective portfolios.

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Fig. 1: Mechanisms of load flexibility for energy services and bill savings in the water sector.
Fig. 2: Information flow.
Fig. 3: Energy performance metrics.
Fig. 4: Levelized value of flexibility.
Fig. 5: Electricity tariff scenario case studies.

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Data availability

Data are publicly available via GitHub at https://github.com/we3lab/valuing-flexibility-from-water.

Code availability

Code for all figures with data is publicly available via GitHub at https://github.com/we3lab/valuing-flexibility-from-water. Additionally, we provide an interactive code notebook with download instructions to provide more in-depth visualizations for specific cases.

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Acknowledgements

This work is supported by the National Alliance for Water Innovation (NAWI, grant number UBJQH - MSM) and the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE, grant number 0009499 - MSM) through the Department of Energy (DOE). The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent the views of the US Department of Energy or the United States Government. We thank A. Atia and T. Bartholomew from the National Energy Technology Laboratory; B. Knueven from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory; A. Miot and A. Akela from Silicon Valley Clean Water; J. Haggmark, G. Paul and B. Rahrer from the City of Santa Barbara; A. Dudchenko from SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory and S. A. Farraj for their helpful conversations and feedback on the work.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Civil and Environmental Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA

    Akshay K. Rao, Jose Bolorinos, Erin Musabandesu, Fletcher T. Chapin & Meagan S. Mauter

  2. Woods Institute for the Environment, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA

    Meagan S. Mauter

  3. Precourt Institute for Energy, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA

    Meagan S. Mauter

  4. Photon Science, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, CA, USA

    Meagan S. Mauter

  5. Environmental Social Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA

    Meagan S. Mauter

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  1. Akshay K. Rao
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Contributions

A.K.R.: conceptualization, methodology, software, validation, formal analysis, investigation, writing (all stages), visualization, project administration, funding acquisition. J.B.: conceptualization, methodology, software, formal analysis, writing (review and editing). E.M.: methodology, software, formal analysis, writing (review and editing). F.T.C.: methodology, software, data curation, writing (review and editing). M.S.M.: conceptualization, resources, supervision, funding acquisition.

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Correspondence to Meagan S. Mauter.

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Nature Water thanks Angineh Zohrabian, Christopher Chini, and the other, anonymous, reviewer(s) for their contribution to the peer review of this work.

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Rao, A.K., Bolorinos, J., Musabandesu, E. et al. Valuing energy flexibility from water systems. Nat Water (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s44221-024-00316-4

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