Tool estimates lifetime greenhouse gas emissions of widespread grid-scale energy storage technology

The Nationwide Renewable Vitality Laboratory (NREL) has developed a first-of-its-kind software that permits hydropower operators and builders to estimate the greenhouse gasoline emissions related to constructing and working closed-loop pumped storage hydropower (PSH) amenities.

Closed-loop PSH generates and shops electrical energy by shifting water between an higher and decrease reservoir. It’s a longtime know-how that accounts for many of as we speak’s grid-scale power storage.

As a part of the clear power transition, low-carbon renewable energy sources corresponding to photo voltaic and wind are being quickly deployed on the electric grid. Nonetheless, as a result of these technology sources are variable, grid-scale power storage is required to assist stability energy supply and demand.

Additionally it is vital for the development and operation of the storage know-how to be low carbon. With PSH, for instance, there might be greenhouse gas emissions as a consequence of diesel-powered building gear, the usage of concrete and metal, and the native grid electrical energy combine powering the pump to maneuver water to the higher reservoir.

In 2023, an NREL analysis workforce printed a examine exhibiting that PSH is the smallest emitter of greenhouse gases in comparison with 4 different grid-storage applied sciences—compressed-air power storageutility-scale lithium-ion batteries, utility-scale lead-acid batteries, and vanadium redox move batteries. The discovering means that PSH might supply substantial local weather advantages by enjoying a key position in accommodating wind and photo voltaic technology.

Recognizing this potential, the NREL workforce used the information and strategies from the 2023 examine to create the Pumped Storage Hydropower Life Cycle Evaluation tool.

PSH builders and anybody curious about PSH deployment can use this web-based, interactive utility to find out the greenhouse gasoline emissions of a PSH facility over its lifetime. Lifetime emissions range relying on quite a few site-specific elements, corresponding to construction materialselements, and particularly the grid electrical energy combine used to function the power.

Customers can enter specs for PSH amenities at various ranges of element. Examples of specs embrace the reservoir quantity, dam materials and dimensions, quantity and capability of generators, and size of the transmission line that connects the PSH system to the grid.

Customers can evaluate completely different PSH situations side-by-side and consider the emissions by part, materials, and life-cycle section. The thought is to assist customers decide the websites, specs, and configurations that reduce emissions.

“The tool’s ultimate goal is to show how PSH can contribute to overall greenhouse gas emissions reductions and make the clean energy transition as clean as possible,” Stuart Cohen stated.