Author(s): Markus Aufleger; Barbara Brinkmeier; Valerie Neisch; Robert Klar
Linked Author(s): Robert Klar, Markus Aufleger
Keywords: No Keywords
Abstract: Storage of electric energy has great significance for the compensation of the variability between demand and production. Increasing supplies of electricity from wind power and photovoltaic systems in central Europe lead to increasing energy fluctuations. As a consequence, the demand for storage of electric energy rises continuously. Today pump storage is by far the most important technology for storage of electrical energy. Other methods like compressed air storage, different chemical forms of storage (batteries), flywheel energy storage and the hydrogen technology are either of minor importance or still under development. Compared to conventional pump storage plants, the remaining concepts often have considerable deficits in lifetime, costs and efficiency. However, a further expansion of today’s pump storage technology is coupled with topographically suitable locations. A number of ideas and concepts for the use of hydropower as an energy storage beyond conventional pump storage is already available. These new approaches include concepts in artificially designed landscapes, concepts using existing small reservoirs (e. g. reservoirs used for the production of artificial snow or drinking water supply), large hydraulic energy storage systems with superimposed loads to enhance overall energy density and hydraulic energy storages concepts for offshore areas. The main aim of this work is to give an overview of existing and conceptual options of energy storage with water as a storage medium. The concepts are described in detail, advantages and disadvantages of the different approaches are pointed out.
Year: 2012