Technology
Pumped storage hydro
Pumped Storage Hydro (PSH) is a large-scale energy storage technology that uses water rather than batteries to store and release electricity.
What is Pumped Storage Hydro?
Pumped Storage Hydro (PSH) works by pumping water to an upper reservoir when there is surplus renewable energy and releasing it through turbines to a lower reservoir to generate power when demand is high. This process allows energy to be stored efficiently and dispatched when needed, making PSH a flexible and proven solution for balancing electricity grids.
Pumped storage facilities are typically able to discharge large amounts of power over very long durations, so the technology is well suited to providing electricity in long periods of low renewable generation. The UK currently has around 3GW of pumped storage, mostly located in Scotland and Wales.
How We Plan to Use Pumped Storage Hydro
Our proposed Loch Kemp Storage project is strategically located in the North of Scotland, using Loch Ness as the lower reservoir. There is a huge amount of offshore wind operational and in development that will connect to the GB electricity system in the North of Scotland. By storing energy when wind is plentiful and discharging energy when wind is scarce, Loch Kemp Storage will maximise the value of our renewable resources and reduce the need for fossil fuel generation.
Pumped hydro is already an important flexible technology for providing services to the grid, with an increasing role as the grid decarbonises.
The Benefits of Pumped Storage Hydro
Current pumped storage hydro (PSH) technologies are able to respond to demand and generation changes within minutes, and are used to provide short to medium duration balancing services.
PSH will continue to play a critical role in the UK energy mix as we transition to a clean power system. We recognise this, which is why we’re investing in pumped storage as part of a portfolio of technologies to help balance the UK grid. Our proposed Loch Kemp Storage project has the potential to supply clean electricity to up to 1,000,000 homes.
