Pumped storage | Global developments
Recent projects are set to investigate the role and potential for pumped storage development in North America, while new projects get off the ground or enter planning stages across the globe
Below: A 600r/min pumped storage unit has recently been placed into operation at the Changlongshan project in China
THE STRATEGIC ADVANTAGES AND the role of pumped storage hydropower (PSH) in a future decarbonised supply mix in Canada is set to investigated in a new study commissioned by WaterPower Canada. Stantec will act as principal investigator and study lead alongside Australian National University, CEATI, and Power Advisory, with the partners set to help WaterPower Canada assess the potential for PSH across the country. In response to the Canadian government’s commitment to achieve a net-zero emissions electricity supply by 2035 and a net-zero economy by 2050, WaterPower Canada – a national trade association that advocates for the Canadian hydropower industry – has commissioned research projects to explore opportunities to support the increase of installed capacity of hydropower in Canada. This assessment report – known as the Technical and Economic Potential Assessment of Pumped Storage Hydropower in Canada – will be one of those research projects. “We realize the significance this study can have for the hydropower sector community and the social, economic, and environmental landscape in Canada,” said Michael Morgenroth, Stantec’s principal investigator on the project and business leader for hydropower and dams in Canada. “That’s why we have activated our network to form a study alliance that brings Stantec, the Australian National University, CEATI, and Power Advisory under one tent as a team that can do justice to this strategic study to position waterpower among leaders into a new era.” “New clean energy projects and infrastructure must be rapidly advanced to achieve a net-zero electricity supply in Canada by 2035, and beyond,” says Carolina Rinfret, president and CEO, WaterPower Canada. “One of the most promising options for storing electricity at scale and for long periods of time is pumped storage hydro. Through this study, we intend to raise awareness to this proven and cost-effective type of energy storage, and to demonstrate the full potential that it holds in Canada, especially with integration of more variable renewables onto the grid, like wind and solar energy.” Two firms that are looking to develop pumped
storage hydropower in Canada are BBA and Lombardi, with the two recently announcing details of a strategic alliance that will be see them collaborate on projects for Canadian clients, while laying the groundwork for international growth. “Pumped storage hydropower is a proven
technology that needs to be part of Canada’s energy mix if we truly want to decarbonise our economy,” said François Vitez, Director of Renewable Energy at BBA. The BBA-Lombardi alliance has already gained the
interest of several stakeholders in the field, attesting to its strategic relevance in North America’s green energy sector.
US potential At 23GW, pumped storage hydropower represents
10 | July 2022 |
www.waterpowermagazine.com
the bulk of the US’ current energy storage capacity of 24GW. This existing PSH was largely built between 1960 and 1990 and no large new projects have been constructed in the US since then. Indeed, it is unclear how much potential there is for
future development. Attempts to quantify technical potential capacity from project applications to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission suffer from inconsistent site and cost evaluation methodologies and are unlikely to be representative of all PSH opportunities. A new report from researchers at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) will help identify US sites that could support pumped storage hydropower plants as well as how much they might cost and how much energy they could produce. The study seeks to better under understand the
technical potential by developing a national-scale resource assessment for closed-loop PSH. Individual sites are not modelled in sufficient detail for project- level development, but they do provide valuable insights into potential resource areas across the US, including the ability to provide estimates for a range of long-term development scenarios. Authors of the report conclude that there is still
“extensive technical potential for PSH capacity in the US, even after accounting for likely barriers, including undevelopable land such as national parks and critical habitat for endangered species”.
Even with a conservative minimum head height,
technical potential is found broadly across the western US, the Appalachian Mountains, and the Ozark Mountains as well as in Alaska, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico. Ultimately, 14,846 technical potential PSH systems were found, representing 35TWh of energy storage (3.5 TW of capacity at 10-hour storage). Although additional work is needed to validate and improve the cost model, the results are said to demonstrate a wide cost distribution and suggest that the most cost-competitive sites could be found where the existing topography supports very high head heights. The authors add that these results are promising for the future of pumped storage in the US and that further research will improve resource characterisation, while additional grid modelling will help illuminate pumped storage’s potential future in the US energy portfolio.
New hybrid system Pumped storage development remains very much
on the agenda in Australia, with a number of new developments underway, like the Snowy 2.0 project, the huge pumped storage expansion of the iconic Snowy Mountains Scheme that is helping to ensure Australia’s secure and reliable transition to renewables. The benefits of pumped storage working with other renewables has been recognised by Australian renewable energy company Sunshine Hydro, which has recently launched its A$2 billion Flavian hydropower
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