The SnowPower initiative is pioneering the use of satellite data to provide the hydropower sector with accurate snow information, even in remote mountainous areas.
The SnowPower solution, which is being advanced by the German earth observation service company EOMAP, pairs existing localized snow information with satellite-based data to enable coverage of wide geographical areas in more detail and more efficiently and cost-effectively than traditional approaches.
Detailed and precise information about the snow depth and the volume of water the snow stores is crucial for operations within the hydropower sector, especially during spring when the snow melts.
However, the retrieval of these data in mountainous regions by traditional methods, such as in-situ measurements or LiDAR overflights, is either limited in scope or time consuming and expensive to execute.
EOMAP’s project partner Snowcap records the snow depth information using Sentinel-1 Earth Observation data and feeds this into assimilation software to create an accurate snow model.
It also seamlessly generates daily ‘snow water equivalent’ data across mountainous areas at a resolution of 500m, which can be merged with existing information for non-mountainous regions to provide comprehensive coverage across entire countries.
This data is then displayed via EOMAP’s bespoke app, eoapp Hypos, which provides users with visualization, exporting and analysis functions to support operational processes across the industry.
Dr Fabian von Trentini, innovation manager at EOMAP, says the collaboration with experts on snow remote sensing is helping the company to broaden up its portfolio when it comes to water resource management.
“The innovative approach developed by Snowcap is a major leap for effective and efficient reservoir management in snow-dominated catchments.”
The SnowPower solution was developed under ESA’s Business Application and Space Solutions program, with other partners including the Finnish Meteorological Institute.
SnowPower demonstration
Following successful feasibility study, the solution is now being progressed in the demonstration phase with support from the Enel Group.
Following a pilot with Enel Green Power, which manages a large cluster of hydro plants in the Alpine and Apennine regions, Snowcap has updated the technology, improving performance levels by 20% and offering increased coverage and enhanced data and algorithm processing.
As part of the demonstration, EOMAP intends to establish a reliable near-real time service, making further enhancements to accuracy and carrying out widespread testing of different meteorological data sets.
It also is planned to pilot the SnowPower solution more widely across Italy, Finland and Chile to showcase the added value of the service, before the final service concept and business exploitation plan is implemented.
Enel Global Energy and Commodity Management weather teams said the knowledge of snowpack and ice thickness is a crucial aspect in the Enel business.
“Enel believes that the latest developments in satellite observations in terms of accuracy and precision could play a key role to enhance the performance of water storage management of hydropower plants. [Our] teams are engaged to work with EOMAP to develop new instruments for more accurate water management as a part of hydro energy transition optimization.”
Originally published by Jonathan Spencer Jones in Power Engineering International.
