Pumped Hydro Energy Storage Basics

Pumped hydro energy storage serves as a crucial technology for balancing renewable energy sources like solar and wind on the grid. It operates by pumping water uphill during times of excess energy, then releasing it downhill through turbines to generate electricity when demand is higher. This method effectively acts as a large battery, providing longer duration storage beyond the capabilities of lithium-ion batteries, which typically last around ten hours. The recent interest lies in closed-loop pumped hydro systems, which utilize two artificial reservoirs instead of relying on natural rivers and dams, vastly expanding potential locations for such projects.