One of the problems with popular renewable energy systems is their intermittent generation of electricity. Solar panels generate electricity during the day, but the (peak) energy demand is during the night. Wind turbines may generate a lot of electricity during a particular (windy) season, but the (peak) energy demand maybe during the summer or some other season. In many cases, since the electric grid can only accept a certain amount of electricity at any given point of time, excessive electricity generated is often sent to the earth, resulting in wastage. Energy storage systems like batteries are complex, expensive, and in some cases even unfeasible, especially on a large scale.
What do we do, then?
If you look at a large hydroelectric power station, it basically blocks the course of a river, stores that water in a dam and releases it through turbines/generators, as and when electricity is required. Why not use the same principle with an artificially created (smaller) water storage system, whose purpose is to pump water to a higher elevation when excess electricity is generated/available, and then run that water down-course through a turbine/generator and produce electricity when it is needed?
Agreed, this method would create some loss of electricity (probably about 30% of power would be lost) and requires considerable amount of capital investment, but that's still better than losing electricity. More importantly, electricity can be generated on-demand and whenever required - this is crucial to ensure energy sufficiency at all times. The above embedded video shows a simple (conceptual) example of how such a system can be realized.
There are issues, however. One, a large site should be made ready for this purpose. Two, a lot of water is required and water-loss from evaporation and seepage into the ground needs to be prevented. Three, the site should be near to the solar/wind energy generation facility so that transmission losses are minimum.
We can either construct a pumped water storage system from ground-up, or use a natural site that is suitable for the requirement. Have a look at this site near the sea on an island in Japan that acts as a large pumped sea-water storage reservoir for electricity generation, later on.
Energy storage is an important part of the puzzle that needs to be addressed for renewable energy to be accepted on a larger scale. While batteries are available for smaller systems, large-scale renewable energy generation doesn't allow for long-term energy storage. Certain innovative techniques like storing energy as heat in molten salt have already been implemented for short-term energy storage, in CSP (Concentrated Solar Power) plants but they can hold energy for a very short time (only).
While it is possible to burn coal/oil whenever required, release water in a large hydro-power station whenever required, we can only generate electricity using solar panels/wind turbines, when it is sunny/windy. We should make hay while the sun shines, but we should find a suitable place to store all that hay, right?
Will pumped storage be that facility for storing energy, generated in large capacities, over the long-term?
Agreed, this method would create some loss of electricity (probably about 30% of power would be lost) and requires considerable amount of capital investment, but that's still better than losing electricity. More importantly, electricity can be generated on-demand and whenever required - this is crucial to ensure energy sufficiency at all times. The above embedded video shows a simple (conceptual) example of how such a system can be realized.
There are issues, however. One, a large site should be made ready for this purpose. Two, a lot of water is required and water-loss from evaporation and seepage into the ground needs to be prevented. Three, the site should be near to the solar/wind energy generation facility so that transmission losses are minimum.
We can either construct a pumped water storage system from ground-up, or use a natural site that is suitable for the requirement. Have a look at this site near the sea on an island in Japan that acts as a large pumped sea-water storage reservoir for electricity generation, later on.
Energy storage is an important part of the puzzle that needs to be addressed for renewable energy to be accepted on a larger scale. While batteries are available for smaller systems, large-scale renewable energy generation doesn't allow for long-term energy storage. Certain innovative techniques like storing energy as heat in molten salt have already been implemented for short-term energy storage, in CSP (Concentrated Solar Power) plants but they can hold energy for a very short time (only).
While it is possible to burn coal/oil whenever required, release water in a large hydro-power station whenever required, we can only generate electricity using solar panels/wind turbines, when it is sunny/windy. We should make hay while the sun shines, but we should find a suitable place to store all that hay, right?
Will pumped storage be that facility for storing energy, generated in large capacities, over the long-term?
