3 ms·
Of course, but pumped storage is about energy storage, not generation. It allows energy to be stored when generation is cheap, and then released at peak hours.
by peterbraden 8y ago
Of course, but pumped storage is about energy storage, not generation. It allows energy to be stored when generation is cheap, and then released at peak hours. It's remarkably efficient compared to most other storage systems.
- SketchySeaBeast 8y agoAre there numbers for that? I'm thinking of comparing that to a flywheel or even just different electrical storage options.
- dwaltrip 8y agoLooks like it is 70-80%, possibly higher. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pumped-storage_hydroelectricity https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pumped-storage_hydroelectric...
- MagnumOpus 8y agoFlywheels, superconductor storage or supercapacitors are somewhat more efficient [1], but they are an order of magnitude more expensive per unit of energy they can store. (Thousands of dollars per kWh capacity, rather than $200-$300.) The real competitor is Li-Ion batteries which now cost about the same as pumped storage, and have similar cycle efficiency. Problem is the capacity decline after a few hundred cycles, which is unfortunate if you want to build infrastructure that is low-maintenance and survives decades. If you are interested in the area, this blog post gives some thoughts to implications [2] though it is a bit outdated by now. [1] https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Comparison-of-various-EES-technologies-in-cycle-efficiencies-4_fig5_283831474 https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Comparison-of-various-EE... [2] https://dothemath.ucsd.edu/2011/08/nation-sized-battery/ https://dothemath.ucsd.edu/2011/08/nation-sized-battery/