Expanding the capacity of energy storage hydropower stations

Will pumped storage increase global hydropower capacity?

If one-tenth of the global conventional hydropower capacity 5 is technically eligible for similar-scale pumped storage renovations, this could result in an increase of over 120 GW in storage capacity — 1.2 times greater than the total capacity of all other energy storage technologies worldwide.

Can hydropower capacity be expanded?

In the current energy expansion model, while hydropower and coal capacities are fixed, VREs and energy storage capacities are increasing and optimized as variables . Nevertheless, there is also potential for expanding hydropower capacity.

What is pumped storage hydropower (PSH)?

Out of different energy storage methods, the Pumped Storage Hydropower (PSH) constitutes 95% of the installed grid-scale energy storage capacity in the United States and as much as 98% of the energy storage capacity on a global scale . PSH provides a relatively higher power rating and longer discharge time.

Should hydropower stations be renovated with pumped storage?

The costs and operational efficiencies of renovating conventional hydropower stations with pumped storage are two key factors that must be considered.

How to optimize the capacity of hydropower expansion?

Therefore, the constraints for optimizing the capacity of hydropower expansion should be set based on the existing hydropower plant operation rules. The existing units should have higher priority than the expanded units, and the coupling effect between the design and operation stages should be considered.

Is hydropower pumped storage the future of energy storage?

Indeed, for the foreseeable future hydropower pumped storage stands alone as the only commercially proven technology available for grid- scale energy storage. The last decade has seen tremendous growth of wind and solar generation in response to favorable tax incentives and other policies.