UK hillsides could host pumped-hydro energy storage system
An energy storage system from RheEnergise could be installed on thousands of hills around the UK, according to the company.
It uses dense liquid, which is two-and-a-half-times denser than water, and could therefore potentially provide two-and-a-half-times the power of equivalent conventional systems.
As reported by Professional Engineering, the High-Density Hydro systems would be built underground. Its developers said it could offer long-term energy storage at relatively low costs, with high energy efficiency.
Like conventional pumped hydro, it would use excess energy – such as that generated by wind turbines on a windy day with low demand – to pump the liquid uphill from underground storage tanks. After travelling uphill through underground pipes, the liquid would then be released to power downhill turbines when electricity demand is higher.
At the end of 2020, RheEnergise received funding from Innovate UK to develop a technology that solves the many disadvantages of other competing energy storage and grid flexibility solutions.
