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Pumped Hydro Storage (PHS)

A renewable energy storage solution working as a giant water battery that enables the energy transition

February 2022

Pumped Hydro Storage (PHS)

A renewable energy storage solution working as a giant water battery that enables the energy transition

  • World Alliance Member
  • Featured Solution
  • Labelled Solution
Label Date February 11, 2022
From United States
Maturity stage TRL 9 / CRI 5-6 - Market competition driving widespread deployment &/"Bankable" grade asset class

Pumped hydro storage plants store energy using a system of two interconnected reservoirs with one at a higher elevation than the other. Water is pumped to the upper reservoir in times of surplus energy and, in times of excess demand, water from the upper reservoir is released, generating electricity as the water passes through reversible turbines on its way to the lower reservoir. Hydropower can play a defining role in the energy transition thanks to the balancing and system services to the grid that facilitate the integration of variable renewables. With higher needs for storage and grid support services, Pumped Hydro Storage is the natural large-scale energy storage solution. It provides all services from reactive power support to frequency control, synchronous or virtual inertia and black-start capabilities. It brings support that was previously managed by fossil-fueled power plants but with even more reactivity and in a sustainable manner without CO2 emissions.

The Environmental Benefits

  • Capabilities from milliseconds reactivity to weeks of storage capacity: Can provide flexibility at all timescales, in both directions (producing or absorbing extra energy)
  • Pumped Hydro Storage capacity is 100 times higher than that of any available battery solution
  • With total installed storage capacity of 9000 GWh delivering short-medium-and long-term storage, PHS accounts for over 90% of storage capacity and stored energy in grid scale applications globally
  • By reducing reliance on fossil fuels, hydropower avoids up to four billion tons of additional Greenhouse Gas emissions being emitted annually
  • Hydropower has very low mineral requirements compared to other sources (accounting for only 2% of copper needs by 2040 - IEA) and does not use Rare Earth Elements (REEs)

The Financial Benefits

  • The most cost-effective large scale long duration energy storage solution
  • Highest energy payback (energy produced/stored over lifetime versus energy required for construction): 8 to 30 times more than any other storage solution
  • With low operational costs (~ 1.5% of the investment cost per kW) because they do not require fuel, existing reservoir hydropower plants are the least costly source of energy storage in many markets

Target client profile

Applications

Activity Region

  • Headquarters
  • Activity

Company Profile

GE Vernova

We are leading a new era of energy – electrifying the world while simultaneously working to decarbonize it

Headquarters East Cambridge, MA 02141, USA
Type Company
View company profile Solution website

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The information set out above, is solely for the purposes of information and the Solar Impulse Foundation does not provide any guarantee as to its authenticity, completeness or accuracy. This information does not constitute investment advice or a recommendation to buy into, transact or to enter into any agreement with any of the parties or persons mentioned above. Potential investors or interested parties are solely responsible for their investment or business decisions and for performing any due diligence required by the circumstances. The innovator GE Vernova has asserted ownership of the intellectual property rights for images, videos, and content showcased above, affirming full and unrestricted usage rights, and has provided explicit permission for the Solar Impulse Foundation to publish such information designated as "public" in the application form.