3 ms·
A specialty in austria (in the middle of the map) is pumped-storage hydroelectricity. Since there are so many mountains and valleys, lakes are used as giant bat
by fzeindl 2y ago
A specialty in austria (in the middle of the map) is pumped-storage hydroelectricity. Since there are so many mountains and valleys, lakes are used as giant batteries. Water can be pumped up in times of excessive supply and released to produce energy when there's higher demand.
This keeps the power lines stable and compensates for factors like lack of wind in wind power stations, startup/shutdown times of thermal power plants, differing consumption patterns because of colder weather etc.
- masklinn 2y agoPumped hydro is great but it requires very specific topologies (you need a large lower reservoir or a high flow river below the dam to have water to pump back up), it’s even more rare than good hydro locations, and completely artificial PHS à la Taum Sauk county are nearly unique. Worldwide, Switzerland is the main user and beneficiary of PHS relative to its electric capacity. Total it’s China, Japan, and the USA, they’re the only countries breaking 2 figures (in GW of generating capacity).