Pump-Storage Integration with Renewables – Meeting the Needs Using Various Concepts

One of the primary tasks of Pumped Storage Power Plants (PSPP) in this era of rapidly growing renewable energy sources like wind and solar energy is to provide for energy storage while contributing to the stabilization of the electrical grid. Fast reaction to power unbalances and grid fluctuations may be achieved by using various configurations/types of pumped storage power plants, such as: - pump-turbines with fixed speed designed for fast reaction times - pump-turbines with variable speed - ternary units with hydraulic torque converter Each configuration has specific behaviours that offer different advantages and disadvantages. The current investigation illustrates the necessary considerations for determining what pumped storage characteristics are needed to support the grid with wind and other renewable, and how these characteristics vary according to the local region’s installed mix and renewable energy generation situation and transmission constraints. Such considerations are necessary for correct decisions in the early planning stage for PSPP configurations.