Storage Water Value

Units: $/GWh
Mode: Input Only
Multi-band: True
Default Value: 10000
Validation Rule: Any Value
Key Property: No
Description: Incremental price of water released from storage
Detail:

Storage Water Value is the price of water at the end of each simulation step (or end-of-horizon for a single step simulation) It can be used as an alternative to setting the End Effects Method. Water Value defaults to units of $/GWh for the Storage "Potential Energy" Model. When using either the "Volume" or "Level" model it is more convenient to use Energy Value ($/MWh) and Energy Value Point (GWh) in combination with the conversion factor (either automatically calculated or input via Downstream Efficiency) so that the energy value can be converted to native volumes of water in storage.

Example:

Storage Property Value Units
Pukaki Max Volume 1300 GWh
Pukaki Initial Volume 900 GWh
Pukaki Water Value 45 $/MWh


Here the storage remaining at the end of the step is valued at $45/MWh.

Given uncertainty in natural inflow the Water Value is not constant for all volumes of storage. The lower the storage the higher the water value since the risk of running short is high. Likewise when the storage nears full the water value is low due to the risk of spill. You can define a multi-band water value function that discourages release when the storage is low and encourages extra release when it is near full. This is done using the Water Value or Energy Value in combination with Water Value Point as in the following example:

Property Value Units Band
Max Volume 50 GWh 1
Initial Volume 41 GWh 1
Water Value 35 $/GWh 1
Water Value 10000 $/GWh 1
Water Value 9000 $/GWh 2
Water Value 500 $/GWh 3
Water Value 250 $/GWh 4
Water Value 125 $/GWh 5
Water Value 90 $/GWh 6
Water Value 50 $/GWh 7
Water Value 37.5 $/GWh 8
Water Value 35 $/GWh 9
Water Value -100 $/GWh 10
Water Value Point 5 GWh 1
Water Value Point 10 GWh 2
Water Value Point 15 GWh 3
Water Value Point 20 GWh 4
Water Value Point 25 GWh 5
Water Value Point 30 GWh 6
Water Value Point 35 GWh 7
Water Value Point 40 GWh 8
Water Value Point 45 GWh 9
Water Value Point 50 GWh 10


The above example defines 10 storage volume bands at various prices with higher prices for lower storage volumes leading up to negative price for very high volumes. The above example is simplified in that the Water Value bands are constant over time. A more realistic assumption would be that the values are sculpted over time with high penalties for release during periods of low inflow, and vice versa for periods of high inflow.