Micronesia pumped hydro energy storage project

What is pumped storage hydropower (PSH)?

Pumped storage hydropower (PSH) is a type of hydroelectric energy storage. It is a configuration of two water reservoirs at different elevations that can generate power as water moves down from one to the other (discharge), passing through a turbine. The system also requires power as it pumps water back into the upper reservoir (recharge).

What is pumped storage hydropower?

Pumped storage hydropower is the most dominant form of energy storage on the electric grid today. It also plays an important role in bringing more renewable resources onto the grid. PSH can be characterized as open-loop or closed-loop. Open-loop PSH has an ongoing hydrologic connection to a natural body of water.

What is pumped hydropower storage (PHS)?

Note: PHS = pumped hydropower storage. The transition to renewable energy sources, particularly wind and solar, requires increased flexibility in power systems. Wind and solar generation are intermittent and have seasonal variations, resulting in increased need for storage to guarantee that the demand can be met at any time.

Will pumped storage hydropower fail?

“Without accelerated development of pumped storage hydropower (PSH) the transition to renewables will falter, and fail,” Malcolm Turnbull, President of the International hydropower Association (IHA) said. “The failure to adequately focus on this need for long duration electricity storage is the ignored crisis within the energy crisis,” he added.

What is a closed-loop pumped storage hydropower system?

With closed-loop PSH, reservoirs are not connected to an outside body of water. Open-loop pumped storage hydropower systems connect a reservoir to a naturally flowing water feature via a tunnel, using a turbine/pump and generator/motor to move water and create electricity.

Does pumped storage hydropower need accelerated development?

Malcolm Turnbull, President of the IHA says the pumped storage industry needs to get its act together. “Without accelerated development of pumped storage hydropower (PSH) the transition to renewables will falter, and fail,” Malcolm Turnbull, President of the International hydropower Association (IHA) said.