Can pumped-storage power in underground coal mine reduce carbon emissions?

Abstract

Underground pumped storage hydroelectricity plants using abandoned coal mines can be used to store excess electricity, supporting the advancement of renewable energy power. It is important to determine whether carbon emissions can be reduced by the combination of underground pumped storage hydroelectricity plants using abandoned coal mines and renewable energy power. Therefore, the structural path analysis method is applied to study the effect of underground pumped storage hydroelectricity plants using abandoned coal mines system on carbon emissions at different costs that are not reflected in macro input-output table. This is done by combining underground pumped storage hydroelectricity plants using abandoned coal mines system with the whole macro-system with the help of renewable energy power system. The results show that the cost of underground pumped storage hydroelectricity plants using abandoned coal mines increases in the initial phase of underground pumped storage hydroelectricity plants using abandoned coal mines; this does not support reductions in carbon emissions. However, with the continuous technological advance of underground pumped storage hydroelectricity plants using abandoned coal mines and the increasing demand for renewable energy power, the carbon emissions can be significantly reduced. In addition, underground pumped storage hydroelectricity plants using abandoned coal mines affects carbon emissions mainly through traditional high-carbon energy sectors, such as thermal power and coal mining and selection. Therefore, the goal of carbon emission reduction can be achieved if policy-makers take into account the technological advances and the whole industrial chain of underground pumped storage hydroelectricity plants using abandoned coal mines when formulating relevant measures.