Pumped storage |
Powering pumped storage potential
HYDROGRID CEO Janice Goodenough speaks to IWP&DC about the company’s newly launched pumped storage module, the rising global momentum for long-duration hydropower storage, and how smarter software can unlock flexibility, resilience, and commercial value in this powerful renewable asset
Above: Janice Goodenough
THE MOMENTUM AROUND PUMPED storage hydropower (PSH) has never been greater. As electricity grids face growing volatility from renewables like wind and solar, one technology stands out as a long-duration, proven, and scalable solution: pumped storage. And for Vienna-based software provider HYDROGRID, its potential has been clear from the beginning. “We make hydro a power for the future,” says HYDROGRID CEO Janice Goodenough, “by enabling it to act as a green battery for the grid.” HYDROGRID’s software platform, Insight, already optimises the operation of hydro plants worldwide. The company’s mission has always centred on flexibility and digital transformation – but now, with the launch of its pumped storage module, it’s taking that vision to the next level. “Optimisation for pumped storage is a natural
extension of what we’ve already been doing for the last eight years,” Goodenough explains. “Hydropower already provides more than 60% of global renewable energy, and pumped storage is the largest form of grid- scale energy storage in the world.” With over 12TWh of storage capacity – and more coming online each year – pumped storage offers something no other clean energy technology can: the ability to shift massive volumes of power over time, balancing the intermittency of wind and solar while strengthening grid resilience. “It’s the largest tool we have to enable a renewable transition,” she says. “So clearly, we need to make the most of it. ”
Building the case for storage According to Goodenough, HYDROGRID’s development
of a dedicated PSH module is demand-driven. “There are two main reasons we developed it now,” she says. “The first is that we’re seeing a lot of interest from clients around the world who are developing new pumped storage.”
Much of that demand is already moving from the drawing board to reality. “There is this huge base of pumped storage plants that are already built, and in addition there is a huge amount in the investment pipeline,” she notes. She points to data from the International Hydropower Association (IHA), which shows that the pumped storage development pipeline is roughly 30% larger than the pipeline for conventional hydropower, and also further advanced in stage. That growth, she argues, is being driven by one increasingly urgent need: flexibility. “Flexibility is the missing piece in the renewable energy transition,” says Goodenough. “And pumped storage is
6 | July 2025 |
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the perfect technology to meet that need. We are also seeing policymakers come to that realisation, resulting in important support schemes for investment in PSP being extended or developed at least in some regions. All of this creates a certain level of appetite within the industry.”
How pumped storage optimisation
works So what exactly sets HYDROGRID’s new PSH optimisation module apart? First, it supports the entire lifecycle of a pumped
storage project – from pre-investment simulation to live operational optimisation. “With HYDROGRID, operators can for example
simulate adding a pumped storage capability to an existing plant using a digital twin,” says Goodenough. “They can then run a simulation using real historical market data – say over the last three years – and see how much more revenue they could have earned with the added flexibility of pumped storage.” Then, once the physical plant is built, the same digital twin can be converted into a real-time optimisation tool, live in the system. “That way, the transition to really getting the most out of a new asset financially is really fast,” says Goodenough. “Even though the physical construction of pumped storage can take years, getting the live optimisation within HYDROGRID up and running starting from the digital twin takes just weeks.” Ease of deployment is another distinguishing factor. “It’s simple to go live with HYDROGRID Insight,” she adds. “And because it’s a modular platform, the PSH module integrates seamlessly with everything else – from inflow forecasting to maintenance planning.” The maintenance integration is critical. “Our
maintenance planning tool lets users easily schedule and also compare different maintenance timeframes options,” she explains. “You can see within less than a minute how much each option would cost in terms of downtime and lost revenue. That allows much more strategic planning.”
From simulation to operation HYDROGRID’s PSH module has already been
deployed in the field. Although the first project is currently under NDA, Goodenough reveals that it’s a closed-loop pumped storage facility in central Europe. “This plant is built purely for flexibility – there’s no natural inflow” she explains. “It’s a closed-loop system designed from the ground up to support the grid. That’s a perfect use case for the software.” Such projects are becoming more common as
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