| Pumped storage
markets are designed to pay for generation, Turnbull says there are no obvious financial incentives to build the long duration storage that renewable energy systems requires. Without such incentives, he adds “there is a real risk that decarbonisation will stall, just as it needs to accelerate”. To get the most out of such a policy mechanism,
Turnbull recommends that the UK government: Delivers the scheme quickly so that the first application window opens by early 2025 and is focused on mature projects. This will get shovel- ready projects up and running and boost investor confidence. Guarantees additional application windows will be held. Introduces soft targets for long duration energy storage to instil investor confidence. Considers long term contract visibility alongside comprehensive reform of the electricity market to ensure better renumeration for grid services and future pumped storage projects.
“Taken all together these policies would also provide a blueprint for other countries that are considering how to ensure a reliable and affordable decarbonised electricity grid,” Turnbull concluded in his letter. “You can count on the International Hydropower Association as a strong ally in this critical work.”
New projects Plans have been unveiled to develop what could be
the UK’s most efficient pumped storage project. Glen Earrach Energy Limited (GEE) is working on the 2GW facility in Scotland that will utilise the geography of Loch Ness and deliver up to 30GWh of clean energy. “International experts have identified Glen Earrach
Energy’s pumped storage hydro project as the most efficient in the UK, possibly even Europe,” said GEE Director, Roderick MacLeod. The project’s efficiency is attributed to the substantial height difference between the upper and lower reservoirs, optimising power generation while minimising the impact on Loch Ness water levels. Central grid proximity to existing wind farms also increases the potential efficiency of the project. GEE has started consultations with local communities, businesses, and government agencies to integrate the project into the environment and the community. The company is working with a consortium of advisors and experts, including AECOM, Alpiq, Frontier Economics, and LCP-Delta, and has submitted a scoping request to the Scottish Government’s Energy Consents Unit. Also in Scotland, Drax is progressing plans to build a new 600MW underground plant adjacent to its existing Cruachan facility. Seismic surveys are being taken to provide crucial geological data about the rock in which the new plant would be housed. “The expansion of Cruachan will be one of the most significant engineering projects in Scotland for many decades,” Steve Marshall, Development Manager, said. “The start of these seismic surveys of the mountain is a real milestone moment for the project and everyone at Drax is excited to see the development take another step forward, These surveys will further complement borehole drilling works undertaken in 2022 and 2023 at the site.” The seismic surveys involve drilling holes into the rock
and laying small explosive charges which are detonated to produce a powerful sound wave within the rock mass.
It is expected that the sound wave will penetrate up to 60m below the ground surface before its reflected signal fades away. Sensitive equipment called geophones mounted on the ground measure the progress of the sound waves to provide information about fractures, fissures, or potential weak spots in the rock. In other news, Holcim is playing a key role in the
Kidston pumped storage hydropower project, set to become operational during 2025 in Queensland, Australia. Located 280km north-west of Townsville on the site of a decommissioned gold mine, Kidston is the world’s first pumped hydro power project to use 100% recycled aggregates in all its concrete. This initiative has been in development since 2018, with Holcim Australia collaborating with McConnell Dowell and John Holland JV.
Holcim has prioritised sustainability on the project by using 100% recycled aggregates in all supplied concrete for both surface works and underground in the 2km access tunnel to the pumphouse. The project also makes use of mining waste, processed on-site, to replace the need for new quarry extraction. The Kidston project is a significant step towards Australia’s 2050 net-zero target and will help Queensland meet its renewable energy goals of 70% by 2032 and 80% by 2035. Once operational, it will generate enough power for towns with a combined population of 400,000 for eight hours daily. Pumped storage potential has also come under the spotlight in Africa. In April the World Bank issued a solicitation for an analytical study to evaluate the conceptual role and economic viability of pumped hydropower storage in the Southern Africa Power Pool. The study aims to identify the costs, benefits, and value of pumped storage in enhancing energy security, climate resilience, and facilitating a low-carbon transition in the region.
Above: Cruachan hydroelectric dam in Scotland. Seismic surveys are underway as plans progress to build a new 600MW underground plant adjacent to the existing facility
References
Zhongbo Sun, Yixin Zhao, Jiandong Ren. Regional development potential of underground pumped storage power station using abandoned coal mines: A case study of the Yellow River Basin, China. Journal of Energy Storage. Volume 77, 30 January 2024, 109992.
https://www.sciencedirect. com/science/article/abs/pii/ S2352152X23033911
Jason Hedien Mustafa Altinakar Scott DeNeale Vladimir Koritarov. Reservoir Lining for Pumped Storage Hydropower Scoping Study of Geomembrane Lining Systems. January 2023. US Department of Energy HydroWires.
Vereide K, Pitorac L, Zeringue R, Kollandsrud A, The Boosterpump Concept for Reconstruction of Hydropower Plants to Pumped Storage Plants, Renewable Energy.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j. renene.2024.120698
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