4 ms·

The Dam in the Desert

39 points by nkurz 10y ago

gtirloni 10y ago
Google "Pumped Up: Renewables Growth Revives Old Energy-Storage Method" for a somewhat shorter explanation. "Moving water uphill lets producers of solar and wind power bank energy for use when it is needed most"
deleted 10y ago
[deleted]
wallacoloo 10y ago
As someone who doesn't work in power, labeling an energy storage's capacity in megawatts is a bit confusing. What does it mean when a pumped water storage facility has a capacity of 1400 MW? Does this literally mean that the turbines can physically provide 1400 MW when active? Shouldn't the unit of measurement have some indication of how long it can continually source this level of power? A 1400 MW pumped storage facility is not that useful if it can only source this amount of power for a minute before depleting its stores, for example. Or is the power figure always chosen s.t. it can continually source this much during peak demand without depleting?
- cesis 10y ago
  It is common to use such metric for all generation and it is the maximum power facility can generate. The other metric used is 'capacity factor'(you probably are looking for this)
- wodenokoto 10y ago
  The article does tell you what that number means. 1.000.000 homes can be powered by the hydro plant, though you are right that it doesn't say anything about for how long stretches of time, but since it is supposed to act like a battery for solar, maybe 1 day is more than enough.
allendoerfer 10y ago
A mine in the desert sounds like a better location for a landfill than a place to store water. I personally think storage should be the second thought. First get to and above 100% renewable at peak times. Ensure that there is a well working market for electric energy and people and businesses of all sizes will find a way to benefit from it, thereby solving storage. Death by a thousand cuts.
whyenot 10y ago
Putting the solar cells in the desert makes a lot of sense, but I don't understand why the pumped storage facility has to also be there. Put it somewhere else in California where there is ample water, the ground isn't as porous, and there will be less evaporation. For example, why not use something like San Luis Reservoir and the O'Neil Forebay?
35bge57dtjku 10y ago
Why can't they cover it to prevent evaporation?

39 points by nkurz 10y ago

Google "Pumped Up: Renewables Growth Revives Old Energy-Storage Method" for a somewhat shorter explanation. "Moving water uphill lets producers of solar and wind power bank energy for use when it is needed most"

deleted 10y ago

[deleted]

wallacoloo 10y ago

As someone who doesn't work in power, labeling an energy storage's capacity in megawatts is a bit confusing. What does it mean when a pumped water storage facility has a capacity of 1400 MW? Does this literally mean that the turbines can physically provide 1400 MW when active? Shouldn't the unit of measurement have some indication of how long it can continually source this level of power? A 1400 MW pumped storage facility is not that useful if it can only source this amount of power for a minute before depleting its stores, for example. Or is the power figure always chosen s.t. it can continually source this much during peak demand without depleting?

cesis 10y ago
It is common to use such metric for all generation and it is the maximum power facility can generate. The other metric used is 'capacity factor'(you probably are looking for this)
wodenokoto 10y ago
The article does tell you what that number means. 1.000.000 homes can be powered by the hydro plant, though you are right that it doesn't say anything about for how long stretches of time, but since it is supposed to act like a battery for solar, maybe 1 day is more than enough.

allendoerfer 10y ago

A mine in the desert sounds like a better location for a landfill than a place to store water. I personally think storage should be the second thought. First get to and above 100% renewable at peak times. Ensure that there is a well working market for electric energy and people and businesses of all sizes will find a way to benefit from it, thereby solving storage. Death by a thousand cuts.

whyenot 10y ago

Putting the solar cells in the desert makes a lot of sense, but I don't understand why the pumped storage facility has to also be there. Put it somewhere else in California where there is ample water, the ground isn't as porous, and there will be less evaporation. For example, why not use something like San Luis Reservoir and the O'Neil Forebay?

35bge57dtjku 10y ago

Why can't they cover it to prevent evaporation?