Research report on the current status of pumped storage

Are pumped storage power plants a problem in China?

To address the problem of unstable large-scale supply of China's renewable energy, the proposal and accelerated growth of new power systems has promoted the construction and development of pumped storage power plants (PSPPs), and the site selection of conventional PSPPs poses a challenge that needs to be addressed urgently.

Why are pumped storage systems not being developed?

Pumped storage systems are expensive projects that demand a substantial upfront investment; consequently, they are not being developed. Government should establish an all-encompassing energy strategy that takes energy storage into account. Future hydropower developments with reservoir storage must consider the development of pumped storage schemes.

What is the future of pumped storage?

As stated in the basic forecast scenario of an IRENA outlook report, Electricity Storage and Renewables: Costs and Markets to 2030 , the growth of installed capacity of pumped storage will be approximately 40 % to 50 % by 2030. Some of the current large PSPPs in the world are shown in Table 2. Table 2.

Can a pumped storage facility be regulated?

The current U.S. fleet of operating (single- speed) pumped storage plants does not provide regulation in the pump mode because the pumping power is “fixed” – a project must pump in “blocks” of power - though a single pumped storage facility may consist of multiple units and smaller blocks of power.

What is pumped storage?

2.1. General concept of pumped storage Pumped storage originates from hydro generator technology, and as an energy storage technology, is commonly used as an auxiliary power service, such as peak shaving, frequency and phase regulation, emergency backup, and maintain the stability of the grid.

What percentage of US energy storage is pumped storage?

PSH provides 94% of the U.S.’s energy storage capacity and batteries and other technologies make-up the remaining 6%.(3) The 2016 DOE Hydropower Vision Report estimates a potential addition of 16.2 GW of pumped storage hydro by 2030 and another 19.3 GW by 2050, for a total installed base of 57.1 GW of domestic pumped storage.