Pumped Storage Research Articles

Modeling and Simulation of High-Frequency Vibration of Headrace Tunnel in a Pumped Storage Power Station Considering Imperfect Bounding Condition

Modeling and Simulation of High-Frequency Vibration of Headrace Tunnel in a Pumped Storage Power Station Considering Imperfect Bounding Condition

Techno-economic assessment of 1TW Solar and wind system with thermal and pumped hydro energy storage in Saudi Arabia

Techno-economic assessment of 1TW Solar and wind system with thermal and pumped hydro energy storage in Saudi Arabia

Construction and thermodynamic optimization of a transcritical pumped thermal energy storage system using ice slurry for cold storage

Construction and thermodynamic optimization of a transcritical pumped thermal energy storage system using ice slurry for cold storage

Multi-objective optimization and simulation of earthwork equipment configuration in the upper reservoir of a pumped storage power station

To find the optimal equipment configuration for the earthwork construction in the upper reservoir of pumped storage power stations, the discrete event simulation was combined with the multi-objective optimization to optimize the construction equipment configurations of the upper reservoir in this paper. According to the daily filling intensity, different types and numbers of equipment were combined and the daily construction time of various combinations was calculated through simulation. Then, the equipment costs and carbon emissions were calculated by a multi-objective model. Setting different weights for each objective to consider the decision preferences of decision-makers, the optimal equipment configuration of earthwork construction was obtained by the multi-objective decision. This optimization framework was applied to a reservoir engineering in karst depressions, the results show that different preferences have an impact on the decision of optimal schemes. At the same time, the obtained schemes show low average queuing trucks and road congestions, and a high utilization rate of the equipment.

Wind-driven pumped storage system design

Wind power is unsteady due to the stochastic nature of wind. Pumped storage is a reliable technology for hydropower storage and generation. This paper aims to regulate wind power with a pumped storage facility by designing a mathematical model of a stand-alone wind-driven pumped storage. The available wind continuously pumps water to a high-elevation upper reservoir, while electricity is generated per demand. A case study was developed in eastern Sudan, and results show that wind energy can be regulated using pumped storage. The scheme had a 71% roundtrip efficiency, with a monthly energy yield of 23 GWh sufficient to support the whole population of the Red Sea State in Sudan. This result indicates the good potential of a wind-driven pumped storage system to deliver continuous electricity using intermittent wind. Such a scheme will benefit the developing countries in Africa, where the requirements of this system are easily found.

Assessment of Potential Complementarity of Pumped Hydropower Storage to Solar and Wind Energy

ABSTRACTWind and solar energy are among the most important clean energy sources globally but are significantly affected by climate variations, resulting in substantial intermittency and mismatches between supply and demand in both temporal and spatial dimensions. Pumped hydropower storage (PHS) is introduced to mitigate these discrepancies by storing excess energy during periods of low demand and releasing it during high‐demand periods. In this study, we comprehensively evaluate the potential complementarity of PHS to solar and wind energy in China. First, by calculating the ratio between energy demand and energy supply by various wind–solar power combinations, the energy reliability over China in multiple scenarios is assessed. We then identify potential sites for PHS to estimate the energy storage capacities and compare the energy reliability with and without PHS installation. Our results demonstrate that the reliability improved by an average of 20.38% over China, with the highest increase reaching 99.91% in Tibet, where exist abundant PHS resources. We also compare grid reliability before and after the 2025 plan in China, finding that PHS significantly enhances energy storage to meet energy demand. Overall, our findings highlight the potential of PHS in addressing the intermittency and volatility of wind and solar energy, providing crucial insights for future energy planning and policymaking.

Green and Low-Carbon Transition in Xizang Autonomous Region: Conditional Analysis and Policy Approaches — Case Study on the Construction of Chamdo Clean Energy Base

Based on a follow-up study of Xizang Autonomous Region’s ecological civilization construction and its clean energy development, this paper takes Chamdo as a case study and uses the SWOT matrix to analyze the basic conditions, challenges, and possible pathways for clean energy development. The purpose is to discuss whether Xizang can play a prominent role in the green and low-carbon transition. It demonstrates that, under the framework of nationwide planning, starting from Xizang’s resource endowments and the practical demands of sustainable development, Xizang can capitalize on external opportunities, such as policy advantages and power assistance, to build a diversified clean energy system that integrates hydropower, wind, solar, and energy storage. By strengthening the coordination between the clean energy sector and other industries, Xizang can promote both local consumption of clean energy and its transmission to other regions. This not only enables Xizang to play a prominent role in the nation’s green and low-carbon transition, but also uses clean energy as a bridge to reinforce collaborative efforts among eastern, central, and western regions in achieving dual carbon goals, while fostering common prosperity, and enhancing national unity.

General Arrangement of Pumped Storage Power Plants in the Territory of the Republic of Uzbekistan

General Arrangement of Pumped Storage Power Plants in the Territory of the Republic of Uzbekistan

Pumped hydro energy storage to support 100% renewable energy

Abstract The rapidly growing scale of solar photovoltaics and wind energy coupled with electrification of transport, heating and industry offers an affordable pathway for achieving deep decarbonization. Massive integration of variable solar photovoltaics and wind energy requires large-scale adoption of short (seconds-hours) and long (hours-days) duration energy storage. Currently, long-duration pumped hydro energy storage (PHES) accounts for about 95% of global energy storage for the electricity sector. This paper discusses the Global PHES Atlases developed by the Australian National University which identify 0.8 million off-river (closed-loop) PHES sites with a combined 86 million Gigawatt-hours of storage potential, which is about 3 years of current global electricity production. These Atlases show that most global jurisdictions have vast potential for low-cost PHES with small water and land requirements, and that do not require new dams on rivers. The low capital cost of premium PHES systems ($ per kilowatt-hour) is pointed out. Methods for creating shortlists of promising PHES sites from the Atlases for detailed investigation are developed.

An Integrated Strategy for Hybrid Energy Storage Systems to Stabilize the Frequency of the Power Grid Through Primary Frequency Regulation

As the penetration of renewable energy sources (RESs) in power systems continues to increase, their volatility and unpredictability have exacerbated the burden of frequency regulation (FR) on conventional generator units (CGUs). Therefore, to reduce frequency deviations caused by comprehensive disturbances and improve system frequency stability, this paper proposes an integrated strategy for hybrid energy storage systems (HESSs) to participate in primary frequency regulation (PFR) of the regional power grid. Once the power grid frequency exceeds the deadband (DB) of the HESS, the high-frequency signs of the power grid frequency are managed by the battery energy storage system (BESS) through a division strategy, while the remaining parts are allocated to pumped hydroelectric energy storage (PHES). By incorporating positive and negative virtual inertia control and adaptive droop control, the BESS effectively maintains its state of charge (SOC), reduces the steady-state frequency deviation of the system, and provides rapid frequency support. When the system frequency lies within the DB of the HESS, an SOC self-recovery strategy restores the BESS SOC to an ideal range, further enhancing its long-term frequency regulation (FR) capability. Finally, a regional power grid FR model is established in the RT-1000 real-time simulation system. Simulation validation is conducted under three scenarios: step disturbances, short-term continuous disturbances, and long-term RES disturbances. The results show that the proposed integrated strategy for HESS participation in PFR not only significantly improves system frequency stability but also enhances the FR capability of the BESS.

Hydraulic oscillations and stability testing of a novel shaft coaxial surge chamber with small load disturbances in pumped storage power stations

Surge chambers play a critical role in moderating oscillations in pumped storage power stations after load disturbances. Owing to the high costs, increased risks, and extended construction times associated with conventional surge chambers (CSCs), we proposed a shaft coaxial surge chamber (SCSC) as an alternative, which was otherwise a compact, economical, and construction-friendly structural configuration. The present study aimed to investigate the hydraulic oscillations, stability, and flow characteristics of an SCSC compared to a CSC under disturbance conditions. Physical models of both types of surge chambers were developed and validated. The results indicated that the novel SCSC system could maintain stability before and after disturbances; its hydraulic fluctuations were slightly higher than those of the CSC, particularly under pumping conditions. During the disturbance, the water level fluctuation amplitudes in the SCSC were at least 1.43 and 2.24 times those of the CSC under different working conditions with 10% flow disturbance. As the disturbance frequency increased, the stability of the SCSC approached that of the CSC. Moreover, a new discharge coefficient range of 0.9–1.2 for the SCSC was proposed, increasing the conventional standard values by 1.5 times. In conclusion, the higher discharge coefficient and unstable flow patterns in the connecting pipe are critical mechanisms that influence the hydraulic oscillations of the SCSC. These findings provide valuable theoretical guidance for practical applications.

Analysis of unstable flow characteristics in the blade region of Francis pump-turbine under non-design conditions

Under non-design situations, the Francis pump-turbine, a frequently employed core energy conversion device in pumped storage power plants, plays a significant role in ensuring their stable operation. This article examines the unstable flow inside a Francis pump-turbine using energy gradient theory and numerical computations and model experiments. Research has indicated that forced impacts and flow separation between fluids and blades are significant causes of deteriorating mechanical energy gradients, whereas non-optimal angles between stay and guide vanes can readily cause flow separation. The strong helical flow at the blade inlet is the primary cause of the unstable flow, and the hub and blade outlet are the primary locations for the high shear force work area brought on by large-scale vortex structures, and the middle portion of the impeller blade is where the unstable flow field begins and needs more attention.

The role of hydropower on energy market: a comparative study in four EU countries

Abstract The development of energy prices over time has depended on several factors. Difficulties and disruptions in local and global energy markets caused by climate change, pandemics and wars have accelerated the transition to clean energy. The overview of electricity generation in four countries (e.g. Lithuania, Italy, Iceland and Austria) is examined. The energy policy outlined in the REPowerEU program focuses on saving energy, producing clean energy and diversifying the energy supply at EU level and in the member states. However, more electricity production from non-dispatchable renewable energy sources has introduced a phenomenon of negative electricity prices, highlighting importance of energy storage. This paper focuses on the contribution that hydropower can bring to the energy market. Two contributions of hydropower assets are crucial in the European energy market for the regulation of the power grid. The flexibility and storage capabilities of reservoir and pumped storage power plants are unmatched by any other technology. These contributions of the hydropower sector to the energy market and the new challenges in the operation of hydropower plants are discussed involving critical analysis of four countries.

Need for hydro storage due to the challenges arising from expansion of PV electricity generation

Abstract Hydropower has a crucial role in the clean energy transition (CET) due to the low-carbon electricity production, the sustainability, reliability and flexibility it provides. Both the fast response and storage potential make hydropower a basis for integrating wind and solar power whose output vary depending on external conditions. Many European countries have considerable remained feasible potential for hydropower development, among which is North Macedonia (MK). As a member of the Energy Community, MK aligns with European energy policies by adopting and implementing EU energy directives and regulations. The energy scenarios illustrate the country’s energy transition, forecasting its reaction to EU policies and government efforts aimed at achieving a net-zero economy by 2050. However, the country’s cost-competitive potential is constrained by factors like low wind speeds and inaccessible terrain in certain regions, making photovoltaics (PV) the fastest growing renewable energy source (RES) technology. Thus, the electricity production from PVs in North Macedonia experiences exponential growth throughout the last four years. The challenges arising from PV expansion are imposing the need for improvement of the energy system flexibility to accommodate the new and highly fluctuating demands. Hence, hydropower could play a major role as dispatchable power source to back up variable PV and balance variations from PV generation. Due to this, the current state of RES capacity and generated electricity with focus on hydropower in MK has been analysed in this paper. Subsequently, an investigation of the possibilities for increasing the electricity production from hydropower to add flexibility to the power system in MK is performed and finally the related challenges have been presented. The steps towards higher flexibility of the energy system in North Macedonia are analysed including usage of existing hydropower plants (HPPs), but also construction of new storage HPPs and pumped storage HPPs for peak demand management and avoiding blackouts under critical circumstances. Some of the existing HPPs can be upgraded through equipment refurbishment and storage increase to gain flexibility. Due to being a technology able to address the flexibility challenges posed by the rise in photovoltaic (PV) installations, pumped storage hydropower was also recognised as a possibility. According to the energy strategy, construction of both large and small HPPs based on the remaining technically and economically feasible potential is envisaged. Small HPPs are prioritized due to their technical feasibility and lower investments. Financial support mechanisms are introduced to stimulate small HPPs and construction conditions are already established for some of them, however, an adjustment in accordance with the administrative requirements in certain areas is needed to ensure environmental sustainability. Moreover, integrating innovative technologies into hydropower can significantly enhance the energy transition at the national level, particularly by improving efficiency, flexibility, and environmental sustainability. Various challenges related to environmental protection, lifetime and maintenance of HPPs components so as economical limitations are being discussed.

Power Generation and Storage

In This paper explores the interconnected relationship between power generation and energy storage. Traditional methods of power generation, while dependable, often rely on fossil fuels and contribute to environmental concerns. The rise of renewable energy sources like solar and wind offers a cleaner alternative, but their intermittent nature necessitates solutions for energy storage. This work delves into the key challenges and opportunities associated with integrating these two technologies. It examines various energy storage solutions, including batteries, pumped hydro storage, and compressed air energy storage, highlighting their advantages and limitations. The impact of storage on grid stability, energy security, and the potential for wider renewable energy adoption will be explored. In conclusion, the abstract emphasizes the critical role of power generation and storage in building a resilient and sustainable electricity grid for the future.

Thermodynamic performance of organic rankine cycle based pumped thermal energy storage system with different working fluids.

In the context of global efforts toward energy transition and carbon neutrality, thermal integrated pumped thermal energy storage (TIPTES) systems, especially those utilizing low-grade heat sources, have garnered significant attention due to their large capacity, flexibility, and environmental advantages. This paper explores a TIPTES system that harnesses industrial waste heat as a heat source. The system's heat pump (HP) subcycle and Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) subcycle are equipped with regenerators to optimize system configuration and enhance efficiency. Five working fluids-R245fa, isobutane, isopentane, MM, and R1336mzz(Z)-are selected for analysis based on parametric evaporation temperature (T 1) and thermal storage temperature (T 8).Parameter analysis results reveal that both round-trip efficiency (η ptp) and exergy efficiency (η ex) increase with rising T 1, with the system using MM demonstrating optimal performance: at T1 of 70°C, η ptp reaches 71.34%, and η ex is 37.42%. The η ptp for each system decreases as T8 increases, with the isobutane-based system showing the slowest decline; η ptp remains relatively unaffected by T 8, while η ex for the isobutane- and R245fa-based systems initially decreases and then increases with rising T 8.Key system parameters-T 1, T 8, and cold thermal storage temperature (T 7)-are further analyzed in a single-objective optimization focused on round-trip efficiency. Results indicate that the isopentane-based system performs optimally at T 8 of 388.65K, T 7 of 359.15K, and T 1 of 338.15K, achieving a maximum round-trip efficiency of 71.60%. This study offers theoretical insights to support the future development and application of TIPTES systems.

Mapping and evaluating potential Italian traditional and Seawater Pumped Hydro Storage Plants: siltation impact and new GIS approaches

Abstract The development of a significant amount of economically and technically efficient storage infrastructure to enable the integration of non-programmable renewable energy sources into the electricity grid is essential to address challenges such as load balancing, frequency regulation and the need for flexible generation of energy reserves. Pumped Hydro Energy Storage (PHES) plants, a long tradition in Italy, can be a promising solution if new plants suitable for this purpose were to be built (traditional PHES and Seawater PHES plants). To investigate which possible actions can be concretely implemented a Geographic Information System (GIS) procedure was developed and applied across the entire Italian territory. This procedure was further refined using advanced GIS object-based image analysis software to pinpoint areas with ideal topographical features for constructing new reservoirs. An innovative method was used to consider the impacts of the present reservoir silting, which forms part of the potential PHES taking into account the average erodibility of the soils and the sediment contributions from the reservoir basin. All costs were estimated to propose a future plant economic indicator, which also considered siltation conditions. Finally, the most promising plants, identified using this indicator, were proposed. Following an initial screening of 574 currently existing reservoirs, 29 potential PHES were identified deemed suitable, based on considerations of cost/power ratio and siltation incidence. The total Italian potential installable power amounts to approximately 10 GW, with Sardinia emerging as a key region with 4 GW of potential capacity distributed across 11 selected sites. Concerning the Seawater PHES an enormous seawater pumped potential of approximately 20 GW, with 39 possible configurations with and specific cost value per unit of power lower than 2,5 M€/MW could be realized.

Fewer temperature ties: scalable integration and broad selection of phase change materials for both heating and cooling

The change of seasons necessitates alternate heating and cooling systems, which are indispensable for nearly a third of the global population. Integrating latent thermal energy storage (LTES) and heat pumps...

A multimethod GIS-based framework for site selection of underground pumped storage power stations using closing coal mines: A case study of the Shanxi province, China

A multimethod GIS-based framework for site selection of underground pumped storage power stations using closing coal mines: A case study of the Shanxi province, China

A new load grouping control method for pumped storage power stations in the planning curve mode

A new load grouping control method for pumped storage power stations in the planning curve mode