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 hydro?

A dynamic energy storage solution, pumped storage hydro has helped ‘balance’ the electricity grid for more than five decades to match our fluctuating demand for energy. Pumped storage hydro (PSH) involves two reservoirs at different elevations.

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.

How does pumped storage hydropower work?

PSH facilities store and generate electricity by moving water between two reservoirs at different elevations. Vital to grid reliability, today, the U.S. pumped storage hydropower fleet includes about 22 gigawatts of electricity-generating capacity and 550 gigawatt-hours of energy storage with facilities in every region of the country.

What is energy storage technology & how does it work?

It is a mature, cost-effective energy-storage technology capable of delivering storage durations in the critical 10–50 hour duration bracket, at scale, to cover fluctuations associated with a net zero wind and solar fleet.

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.