Track Pumped Storage Projects with Interactive Tool
S. Himmelstein | November 20, 2017The locations and specifications of operating and planned pumped storage projects worldwide can now be 
Source: International Hydropower Associationaccessed with the Hydropower Pumped Storage Tracking Tool developed by the International Hydropower Association (London, UK).
The database shows that more than 100 pumped storage projects totaling some 75 GW of new capacity are in the global pipeline. These will increase existing global storage capacity by 50 percent, from 150 GW to almost 225 GW. The first of these projects will come online in 2018, and the majority will be operational by 2030.
Pumped storage is viewed as the cleanest and most cost-effective form of energy storage existing today. It makes up more than 95 percent of global energy storage compared with less than five percent combined for thermal, electromechanical and electrochemical storage, including lithium batteries.
Designed for policy-makers, investors and researchers, the mapping tool shows the status of a pumped storage project, its installed generating and pumping capacity and its actual or planned date of commissioning.
It still requires vast amounts of water to pump, and a pretty hefty elevation step.
Not surprised at all to find this in Europe, where there is ample room for it, along with the resource.
This does not work at all in the arid western half of the U.S., excluding some part(s) of California, Oregon, and Washington States. If the water is pulled from and let go back to an existing river as can be done in some places on the Colorado River, this is also feasible. Environmental impact has to be assessed carefully in such a case.
In reply to #1
It certainly won't work in west Texas.
But in Arizona: Horseshoe Lake had a pumped storage unit until a major flood destroyed it.
We still have:
New Waddell Dam - Phoenix Area Office | Lower Colorado Region ...
Now, another one is in the works.
Federal Register :: Big Chino Valley Pumped Storage LLC; Notice of ...
In reply to #2
Interesting, at least in most parts of Arizona, there is relief to the landscape, changes in elevation that can be put to gravity work.
Here we only have the escarpment some 20-40 miles off, or a bit closer in if we utilize parts of Yellow House Canyon.
The water resource is not conducive to our area being used for PSG. I think we would do better to look at compressed air storage in deep formation, or look at the stone mass elevation and transport generators, although this could use up miles and miles of escarpment to gain 100-300 MWh storage with any appreciable power level pertinent to peak demand relief. Anything in the 1 GWh range would take up the Caprock escarpment all the way to Plainview or beyond.