Video of how water energy storage works

How does pumped storage hydropower work?

Learn how pumped storage hydropower acts as energy storage for the electrical grid. (Video by the Department of Energy) PSH works by pumping and releasing water between two reservoirs at different elevations. During times of excess power and low energy prices, water is pumped to an upper reservoir for storage.

How does hydro storage work?

Hydro’s storage capabilities, specifically pumped storage, can help to match solar and wind generation with demand. Pumped storage plants store energy using a system of two interconnected reservoirs with one at a higher elevation than the other.

How do pumped hydro storage plants store energy?

Pumped hydro storage plants store energy using a system of two interconnected reservoirs with one at a higher elevation than the other.

What is energy storage & how does it work?

Today's power flows from many more sources than it used to—and the grid needs to catch up to the progress we've made. What is energy storage and how does it work? Simply put, energy storage is the ability to capture energy at one time for use at a later time.

Could pumped hydro power a big energy storage project?

That’s pretty good, but NREL is eyeballing pumped hydro for bigger energy storage projects — up to 100 megawatts. Considering that only a fraction of existing dams in the US are used for power generation, an economical pumped hydro system could blow the field wide open for wind and solar developers.

Could a pumped hydro energy storage system bring more wind and solar online?

Plain water and a new type of turbine are the keys to a pumped hydro energy storage system aimed at bringing more wind and solar online.