Abstract
To avoid the geographical and topographical prerequisites of the conventional pumped hydro energy storage, the use of underground cavities as water reservoirs allows countries without steep topography, such as Belgium, to increase the potential of the energy storage capacity. Belgium abounds in disused mines and quarries convertible into water basins. In this article, two Belgian case studies are presented and discussed for their singularity. A slate quarry in Martelange is discussed in technical aspects proposing three operating scenarios. Moreover, a preliminary economic analysis of the underground pumped storage system and a greenhouse gas emission evaluation for the storage system’s lifetime are presented. The analysis for a 100 MW power plant estimates a total initial investment of over 12 million euros and two million of CO2 avoided over its lifetime. This article also proposes the use of the coal mine 500 m deep of Pérronnes-lez-Binche. The mine representation discussed here offers a high energy capacity, but the substantial head drop (from about 500 to 200 m) challenges the selection of the hydraulic turbomachinery. A 1D simulation computed in SIMSEN draws out the behaviour of the unusual hydraulic configuration of turbines in series.
Highlights
The Belgian energy system is facing essential challenges in reducing its dependence on fossil fuels [1]
Underground pumped storage hydroelectricity (UPSH) facilities could represent a valuable solution in increasing the national energy storage capacity [19]
This paper provides a set of preliminary economic and technical considerations, applied to two different cases for underground pumped storage hydroelectricity (UPSH) located in the Walloon region in Belgium
Summary
The Belgian energy system is facing essential challenges in reducing its dependence on fossil fuels [1]. Underground pumped storage hydroelectricity (UPSH) facilities could represent a valuable solution in increasing the national energy storage capacity [19] In these systems, the hydropower head is obtained by exploiting the depth of an underground cavity instead of elevated reservoirs. The use of underground cavities as lower reservoirs for hydropower applications is not widespread [20] and its technology has not yet passed the research and development phase In this context, this paper provides a set of preliminary economic and technical considerations, applied to two different cases for UPSH located in the Walloon region in Belgium.
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