The history and current status of pumped storage

When was pumped storage first used?

The first use of pumped storage was in the Engeweiher PPSP near Schaffhausen, Switzerland, in 1907 , and large-scale development began in the 1950s. At present, the development of PSPPs in the world has gone through four main stages, as shown in Table 1. Table 1. The four development stages of PSPPs in the worldwide.

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.

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.

When was underground pumped storage developed?

In 1969, Sorensen considered the development of underground pumped storage to be promising. Around the same time, several Swedish engineers proposed developing underground cavern-based lower reservoirs to complement surface reservoirs for pumped storage .

How long is the development cycle of pumped storage in China?

The development cycle of the pumped storage is long, and at least 8–10 years are needed from the planning to the completion. In the long run, the site selection planning of PSPSs should be carried out rollingly in the next few years to solve the exploitation problem of the pumped storage in China after 2030. 8. Conclusion

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.