Pumped Hydro
most mature form of energy storage
Pumped hydro has the potential to provide large amounts of long duration storage in which stored power can be released into the market to balance electricity supply and demand.
WHAT IS PUMPED HYDRO?
Energy storage is becoming a very important part of our electricity system. Pumped hydro has the potential to provide large amounts of long duration storage in which stored energy can be released into the market to balance electricity supply and demand.
Energy storage guarantees electricity is always available even if conditions are not favourable for solar or wind generation.
When water is released from the upper reservoir it travels via an underground tunnel through hydroelectric turbines to generate electricity and then discharges into the lower reservoir. This occurs during times of high electricity demand or low renewable electricity generation.
Pumped hydro uses two water storages (reservoirs) at different elevations that are connected via tunnels to generate energy.
When excess solar and wind electricity is being produced, the water is then pumped from the lower reservoir to the upper reservoir.
Pumped hydro is the most common, and most mature form of energy storage.
HOW PUMPED HYDRO WORKS
For more information about pumped hydro the video below gives a good summary: