‘Giant water batteries’ and the path to net-zero

Source: · H2O GLOBAL NEWS · | September 7, 2021

Source: H2O Global News

Exclusive interview: H2O Global News’ Sion Geschwindt spoke with Voith Hydro Head of Service South Africa, Anton Harris, about Voith’s recent upgrade to Eskom’s Drakensberg Pumped Storage Hydro Plant, and the potential of this technology, and hydropower more broadly, to facilitate the clean energy transition

 We are in the midst of a global energy transition; from fossil fuels to renewable technologies such as solar, wind and hydropower.

Investment in renewables has skyrocketed in recent years, with the International Energy Agency (IEA) predicting they will make up 70% of all new energy expenditures in 2021.

This rapid uptake of clean energy is brilliant news, but there are still many hurdles to overcome. One of which is storage.

Unlike fossil fuels, renewable energy is often intermittent and seasonal and must be stored for when the wind isn’t blowing or the sun isn’t shining.

There are many possibilities to store energy, but the only proven large-scale technology currently available is Pumped Storage Hydro (PSH).

What is Pumped Storage Hydro?

PSH is a type of hydroelectric energy storage. It is a configuration of two water reservoirs at different elevations, where power is generated as water flows from the upper reservoir, through the turbines and down to the lower reservoir.

When there is a surplus of energy, the system pumps water back up, releasing it again when needed. PSH is often known as a water or ‘green’ battery because it can store and release power on demand.