Global Atlas of Pumped Hydro Storage
to Support High Penetration of
Renewable Energy
Matt Stocks, Bin Lu, Ryan Stocks, Cheng Cheng and Andrew Blakers
RE100 Group
http://re100.anu.edu.au/global
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https://opennem.org.au/energy/sa1/
Original load
Net loadHigher ramp rates
Lower minimum generation levels
Capacity inadequacy
Frequent cycling and short peaks
Image source: OpenNEM (2019)
Challenge: intermittency
Stabilise variable renewable electricity
• Technical diversity
– 90% PV and wind (+ existing hydro & biomass)
• Wide geographical dispersion (million km2) hugely reduces storage
– Smoothing-out local weather
• Demand management
– Shift loads from night to day, interruptible loads
• Mass storage
– Pumped hydro: 97% of all storage
– Advanced batteries
Batteries versus pumped hydro
• Batteries low cost
power
• Pumped hydro for low
cost energy
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Batteries versus pumped hydro
• Batteries low cost
power
• Pumped hydro for low
cost energy
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https://opennem.org.au/energy/sa1/
Image source: OpenNEM (2019)
Challenge: intermittency
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https://opennem.org.au/energy/sa1/
Image source: OpenNEM (2019)
Challenge: intermittency
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https://opennem.org.au/energy/sa1/
Image source: OpenNEM (2019)
Challenge: intermittency
Hornsdale Power Reserve
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https://opennem.org.au/energy/sa1/
Image source: OpenNEM (2019)
Challenge: intermittency
Hornsdale Power Reserve
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https://opennem.org.au/energy/sa1/
Image source: OpenNEM (2019)
Challenge: intermittency
Snowy 2.0
Hornsdale Power Reserve
PHES Site searchingIdentify reservoirs locations
– Model watershed
– Simulate 5 -100m dams
Pair reservoirs
– 100-800m head
– Adjust both dam heights for storage
target (e.g. 5 GWh)
Apply cost model
– “A” to “E” ranking (or reject)
Key information recorded
– Reservoir volume and area, dam line
and volume, reservoir shape file, etc
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Cost modelModel developed for ARENA funded STORES project
• Reservoir pair
• Water conveyance (penstock or tunnel)
• Power house (pump/turbine, generator, switchyard)
• Services (roads, water, transmission)
Key relationships (head, power, separation, dam volume) used for
global search ranking
>600,000 unique sites with 23,000 TWh of storage
Requirement to support 100% renewables ~ 20
http://re100.eng.anu.edu.au/global
https://nationalmap.gov.au/renewables/#share=s-oDPMo1jDBBtwBNhD
Open online access to full database on AREMI
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Summary
• Variable renewables growing rapidly
• Pumped hydro well-placed to support transition
• Global off-river atlas developed
– 600,000 sites with >23,000TWh storage
– Full visualisation from global to local scale
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