Technical, Economic, and Environmental Investigation of Pumped Hydroelectric Energy Storage Integrated with Photovoltaic Systems in Jordan

Abstract

In this study, the technical and economic feasibility of employing pumped hydroelectric energy storage (PHES) systems at potential locations in Jordan is investigated. In each location, a 1 MWp off-grid photovoltaic (PV) system was installed near the dam reservoir to drive pumps that transfer water up to an upper reservoir at a certain distance and elevation. PVsyst (Version 7.3.4) is implemented to simulate the water flow rate pumped to the upper reservoir at each location. The water in the upper reservoir is presumed to flow back into the dam reservoir through a turbine during peak hours at night to power a 1 MW load. Based on the water volume in the upper reservoir, the power generated through the turbine was estimated using HOMER Pro® (Version 3.15.3), and the power exported to the grid (when the power generated from the turbine is more than the power required by the driven load) was also determined. It is worth mentioning that scaling up the size of PV and hydropower systems is a straightforward approach considering the modular nature of such systems. However, the quantity of water in the dam reservoir that is allowed to be pumped is the main determinant for the size of a PHES system. The technical and economic results show that the potential of employing these locations to implement PHES systems is great. In addition, a study was conducted to estimate how much CO2 emissions were reduced by generating renewable energy compared to generating the same amount of energy from fossil fuels. These systems increase renewable energy in the energy mix in Jordan, stabilize the grid, and balance the loads, especially during peak periods. More importantly, PHES systems contribute to making the energy sector in Jordan more sustainable.