| New innovations Main features of RRPT:
Minimal land use and capability to be built completely underground Lowest cost of electricity supply with LCOE of only US$7 per MW Zero emissions and zero fuel use Non dependence on rare earth minerals Constant, independent, secure, reliable power supply 24/7/365 Fully self-contained, with no external power or water needed once operational Decentralised, no need to be grid tied or located near a body of water Fast construction and commissioning Components produced on industrial lines delivered for on-site assembly
100MW RRPT Plant (partly below ground, off grid) powering a large data centre - Artist’s rendering
of piping and power generation units, as the pistons move vertically downward to the bottom of the cylinder. To start up a typical RRPT plant there must be
an external power source to provide power for the system’s control panel and electronic and hydraulic components needed to launch the initial power generation cycle. The piston shafts must work synchronously in pairs, so that when one piston goes up the other goes down for continuous uninterrupted power generation. It is noteworthy to highlight that the external power source is disconnected after the startup of the RRPT plant, unlike conventional pumped hydro system where external power is needed for each power cycle to recharge the system. The system utilises programmable logic controllers and other components for continuous smooth operation, process management and synchronisation.
Cost effective Comparative analysis claims to have shown that this
baseload, independent, modular and skid-mounted hydro powered system is cost-effective and requires smaller reservoir or land use compared to wind and solar. Indeed, for those countries not fortunate enough to be blessed with abundant natural energy resources, an RRPT can help achieve energy independence. Carbon neutral, decentralised and distributed in
nature, RRPT’s 100MWh system has the following approximate dimensions (100m x 50m) for diameter and height respectively. This means each tank (two are required) will hold about 39,2750m3 785,500m3
of water. So, with of water, the RRPT system can generate
100MW of power. The result is that for the same amount of water
stored in the two reservoirs (upper/lower) of just one of typical pumped storage plant, RRPT could fill 101.85 (100 MWh) RRPT power plants and the combined power output of these plants would be 10.185GW, with the advantage that the water is recycled and the ecosystem is conserved.
RRPT is in over 72 countries with patent pending status in dozens of others. It is currently at Technology Readiness Level 4 with plans for constructing a working pilot model currently underway.
www.waterpowermagazine.com | July 2024 | 21
Above: Land usage comparative of RRPT with wind and solar technologies for a 50MW plant - Artist’s rendering
Right: For larger systems of 100MW and above, the plants are built partly below ground
Below: At the heart of the system is the patented convertible piston and cylinder units
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41
