Illustration - Principle of the hydroelectric pumped underground urban proposed by Pierre Couture. It can store power and regulate changes in renewable energy, among others, and is an essential component of the electricity networks of tomorrow. (Illustration: Paul Berryman, from my book Driving without oil )
March 5, 2009, Steven Chu, the Secretary of State for Energy of the United States, outlined before a Senate committee priorities his government's research and development. Among the five sectors identified were energy storage in large scale . Storage units of appropriate size would compensate for daily variations in energy Solar and wind power, and increase the efficiency of thermal power plants. Energy storage is an essential component for reducing emissions of greenhouse gases and emissions related to electricity production.
The most currently used for large-scale storage of energy is hydroelectric pumped . In its traditional version, there are two water tanks located one above the other, linked together by an underground tunnel where a turbine that can operate in both directions. During periods of low electricity demand (eg at night) the electric motor-generator coupled to the turbine pump water from lower reservoir to the upper reservoir. In periods of high demand, we let the water run from the upper reservoir to the lower reservoir, causing the turbine and generates electricity. We call these plants also pumped storage plants. In a well designed plant, the return of water between two reservoirs causes a loss of about 20% of the stored energy.
But to regulate the daily fluctuations of wind power and solar power or to control the variations in demand throughout the day, there is no need to store more than 25% of energy . Regulation leads to a loss of only 5% of the total energy produced.
Illustration - Principle of traditional hydroelectric pumped. (Source: Swiss company GMF)
There are currently about 200 hydroelectric pumped on the planet, accounting for 90 GW of power, about 3% of installed capacity worldwide, according to ESA (Electricity Storage Association ).
The requirement to have a significant drop between the two water tanks had been told that several energy storage for pumped storage is a technology that could operate on a large scale everywhere. Witness the following statement
found in the document" National Energy Policy Recommendations of the IEEE-USA (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers), dated January 15, 2009 (download HERE under Energy and Environment category).
But it seems that this statement represents a lack of imagination, because it may very well build hydroelectric pumped in the midst of vast plains or in the heart of a city. Just dig a deep well in rock and constructing galleries at the bottom to get the second tank.
is the concept that was proposed by Pierre Couture, a researcher for Hydro-Quebec and inventor of the modern motor-wheel (note from February 11, 2009). Louis-Gilles Francoeur, a journalist with Le Devoir unveiled the project in an article dated January 22, 2004 .
To avoid too large excavation for the tunnels, it is advantageous to place them in greater depth. Pierre Couture recommended digging a pit about 2 meters in diameter and three miles deep . Turbines that can be reversed and work as pumps are located on all the miles down, with a cave just behind buffer (see illustration at top of ticket).
The calculations show that to obtain a power of 1 GW for 10 hours, dig three kilometers of tunnels 20 meters x 20 meters wide (1.2 million cubic meters) to store water at the bottom. The cost of such a plant would be pumped underground in the range of $ 700 million to 1000 million, and may regulate power plants 3 to 4 GW of power.
Counting duration of the plant pumped 50 years, we come to the end at a cost below 0.2 cents / kWh of energy produced and regulated, which is only a few percent of the cost of production.
pumped hydroelectric plants can be used in multiple ways. One can, of course, increase the percentage of renewable energy by regulating their inherent fluctuations. To reduce the need for regulation, it is advantageous to implement efficient high voltage power lines to link wind farms thousands of miles, as there is always wind somewhere. The DC power lines are particularly interesting in this regard since they generate only 3% loss per 1000 km. Solar power plants, in turn, follow quite well the daily demand for electricity (more sun at noon). By placing them in desert areas will ensure a minimum of cloud cover, which require less energy storage for fluctuations. The largest part of the storage would be used to refer to the night part of the energy produced in the day.
also pumped hydroelectric plants are also useful for increasing the efficiency of thermal power . We known, for example, that natural gas-fired combined cycle can achieve an efficiency of 60%. Unfortunately we can not vary significantly from such power plants to monitor daily demand. We must use it for gas plants whose efficiency is below 40%. This shows the interest of a hydroelectric pumped would be coupled to one or more natural gas plants. We could then use the gas plants more efficient and operate at constant speed always optimal. Daily fluctuations would be borne by the Central pumped. By doing Thus, we get 50% more electricity with the same natural gas!
With the additional electricity could be shut down and recovered from coal much cleaner, waiting to close also, eventually, gas plants and replace them with renewable energy.
pumped hydroelectric plants are an essential part of any smart energy policy! And with the concept proposed by Pierre Couture underground, they will become increasingly attractive.
March 5, 2009, Steven Chu, the Secretary of State for Energy of the United States, outlined before a Senate committee priorities his government's research and development. Among the five sectors identified were energy storage in large scale . Storage units of appropriate size would compensate for daily variations in energy Solar and wind power, and increase the efficiency of thermal power plants. Energy storage is an essential component for reducing emissions of greenhouse gases and emissions related to electricity production.
The most currently used for large-scale storage of energy is hydroelectric pumped . In its traditional version, there are two water tanks located one above the other, linked together by an underground tunnel where a turbine that can operate in both directions. During periods of low electricity demand (eg at night) the electric motor-generator coupled to the turbine pump water from lower reservoir to the upper reservoir. In periods of high demand, we let the water run from the upper reservoir to the lower reservoir, causing the turbine and generates electricity. We call these plants also pumped storage plants. In a well designed plant, the return of water between two reservoirs causes a loss of about 20% of the stored energy.
But to regulate the daily fluctuations of wind power and solar power or to control the variations in demand throughout the day, there is no need to store more than 25% of energy . Regulation leads to a loss of only 5% of the total energy produced.
Illustration - Principle of traditional hydroelectric pumped. (Source: Swiss company GMF) There are currently about 200 hydroelectric pumped on the planet, accounting for 90 GW of power, about 3% of installed capacity worldwide, according to ESA (Electricity Storage Association ).
The requirement to have a significant drop between the two water tanks had been told that several energy storage for pumped storage is a technology that could operate on a large scale everywhere. Witness the following statement
"Expanded use of this technology Depends on the availability of Suitable geography"
"A large-scale use of this technology depends on the availability an appropriate geography "
found in the document" National Energy Policy Recommendations of the IEEE-USA (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers), dated January 15, 2009 (download HERE under Energy and Environment category).
But it seems that this statement represents a lack of imagination, because it may very well build hydroelectric pumped in the midst of vast plains or in the heart of a city. Just dig a deep well in rock and constructing galleries at the bottom to get the second tank.
is the concept that was proposed by Pierre Couture, a researcher for Hydro-Quebec and inventor of the modern motor-wheel (note from February 11, 2009). Louis-Gilles Francoeur, a journalist with Le Devoir unveiled the project in an article dated January 22, 2004 .
To avoid too large excavation for the tunnels, it is advantageous to place them in greater depth. Pierre Couture recommended digging a pit about 2 meters in diameter and three miles deep . Turbines that can be reversed and work as pumps are located on all the miles down, with a cave just behind buffer (see illustration at top of ticket).
The calculations show that to obtain a power of 1 GW for 10 hours, dig three kilometers of tunnels 20 meters x 20 meters wide (1.2 million cubic meters) to store water at the bottom. The cost of such a plant would be pumped underground in the range of $ 700 million to 1000 million, and may regulate power plants 3 to 4 GW of power.
Counting duration of the plant pumped 50 years, we come to the end at a cost below 0.2 cents / kWh of energy produced and regulated, which is only a few percent of the cost of production.
pumped hydroelectric plants can be used in multiple ways. One can, of course, increase the percentage of renewable energy by regulating their inherent fluctuations. To reduce the need for regulation, it is advantageous to implement efficient high voltage power lines to link wind farms thousands of miles, as there is always wind somewhere. The DC power lines are particularly interesting in this regard since they generate only 3% loss per 1000 km. Solar power plants, in turn, follow quite well the daily demand for electricity (more sun at noon). By placing them in desert areas will ensure a minimum of cloud cover, which require less energy storage for fluctuations. The largest part of the storage would be used to refer to the night part of the energy produced in the day.
also pumped hydroelectric plants are also useful for increasing the efficiency of thermal power . We known, for example, that natural gas-fired combined cycle can achieve an efficiency of 60%. Unfortunately we can not vary significantly from such power plants to monitor daily demand. We must use it for gas plants whose efficiency is below 40%. This shows the interest of a hydroelectric pumped would be coupled to one or more natural gas plants. We could then use the gas plants more efficient and operate at constant speed always optimal. Daily fluctuations would be borne by the Central pumped. By doing Thus, we get 50% more electricity with the same natural gas!
With the additional electricity could be shut down and recovered from coal much cleaner, waiting to close also, eventually, gas plants and replace them with renewable energy.
pumped hydroelectric plants are an essential part of any smart energy policy! And with the concept proposed by Pierre Couture underground, they will become increasingly attractive.
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