Atlas of Pumped Hydro Energy Storage
- $609k Funded by ARENA
- $1.21m Total project cost
Summary
The Atlas of Pumped Hydro Energy Storage project will assess the potential for Short Term Off-River pumped hydro Energy Storage (STORES) to provide cost-effective storage on a large scale in Australia, supporting higher levels of renewable energy in the National Electricity Market and South West Interconnected System.
The study will also assess grid integration aspects of STORES and its potential to help address renewable energy grid integration issues.
Project innovation
The Atlas of Pumped Hydro Energy Storage study aims to produce a comprehensive, rank-ordered online atlas of the most prospective STORES sites in Australia, made publicly available on the Australian Renewable Energy Mapping Infrastructure (AREMI) website, and as a GIS data file. The study will also develop a costing tool allowing users to estimate the cost of developing a STORES system at an identified site.
The study will provide a detailed analysis of how STORES best integrate into grids to increase the amount of renewable energy, an analysis of potential environmental and water consumption impacts associated with STORES, and a comparison of STORES with other key energy storage technologies.
This project consists of:
Read reports
Report: An Atlas of Pumped Hydro Energy Storage
This project is entitled Short Term Off-River Energy Storage (“STORES”). The aim is to substantially reduce barriers to pumped hydro energy storage and thereby to support increased deployment of variable wind and solar energy.
Report: STORES Storage Comparison
A comparison of STORES with other energy storage technologies and gas and biomass generation.
Report: STORES GIS Methodology
The Geographic Information System (GIS) algorithms locate prospective sites for short-term off-river pumped hydro energy storage.
Report: STORES Environmental and Water Consumption Impacts
An analysis of potential STORES environmental and water consumption impacts.
Report: STORES Ancillary Services
A detailed description of the capability of STORES to provide ancillary services. Provision of ancillary services is likely to be an important part of the economics of future storage plants.
Report: Renewable Precincts
The identification of potential STORES Renewable Energy Zones. A renewable energy zone is a region that has characteristics that could make a substantial contribution to increasing the supply of renewable energy.
Report: An Atlas of Pumped Hydro Energy Storage – The Complete Atlas
Australia has many potential sites for pumped hydro energy storage (PHES). The initial survey found about 22,000 sites – the State and Territory breakdown is shown in the document. Each site has an energy storage potential between 1 and 200 Gigawatt hours (GWh).
Report: 100% Renewable Electricity in Australia
An hourly energy balance analysis is presented of the Australian National Electricity Market in a 100% renewable energy scenario, in which wind and photovoltaics (PV) provides about 90% of the annual electricity demand and existing hydroelectricity and biomass provides the balance.
Report: 90-100% Renewable Electricity for The SWIS
This study focuses on the South West Interconnected System in Western Australia. Several high (90% and 100%) renewables penetration scenarios have been modelled, comprising wind and PV supplemented with a small amount of biogas, and compared with a “like-for-like” fossil-fuel replacement scenario.
Benefit
The study will facilitate improved knowledge about the potential for STORES as a low-cost, mass-storage option to increase the amount of variable solar and wind energy, and further facilitate the development of STORES projects.
Read more
ARENAWIRE Blogs
How could pumped hydro energy storage power our future?
Reservoirs of water are poised to play a key role storing renewable energy to bolster the grid.
ANU pumped hydro researchers take out Eureka Prize
Australian National University researchers who have helped to scope out Australia’s pumped hydro opportunities have been awarded a leading science award – the Eureka Prize.
