Environmental Impacts of Pumped Hydro Storage
Water and Ecosystem Impacts
- Traditional open-loop PHS involves constructing dams and reservoirs that can significantly alter natural water flows and river ecosystems, affecting both physical habitats and ecological characteristics of aquatic environments.
- Closed-loop PSH systems, which use two reservoirs not connected to a natural waterway, reduce direct impacts on river ecosystems and water flow but still require water sourcing that can lead to localized environmental effects.
Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Climate Impact
- Closed-loop pumped storage hydropower has the lowest life cycle greenhouse gas emissions among energy storage technologies. This assessment considers the full life cycle including materials, construction, and operation.
- The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) found that these systems have the lowest global warming potential (GWP) across energy storage technologies, positioning closed-loop PSH as one of the greenest renewable storage options.
Other Considerations
- Closed-loop systems, while minimizing watercourse disruption, have yet to be widely constructed, meaning empirical data on long-term environmental impacts and mitigation effectiveness in the U.S. context is still limited.
- Because closed-loop PSH is one of the few storage technologies capable of large-scale grid reliability and renewable integration with a relatively low environmental footprint, it is considered a critical component of the clean energy transition.
Comparison to Other Energy Storage Technologies
| Aspect | Pumped Hydro Storage (Closed-Loop) | Battery Storage (e.g., Lithium-ion) | Compressed Air Energy Storage (CAES) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greenhouse Gas Emissions (Life Cycle) | Lowest among storage techs, very low GWP | Higher emissions due to mining & manufacturing | Moderate emissions, depends on energy source |
| Ecosystem/Water Impact | Some water use, minimal direct river impact in closed-loop; open-loop affects ecosystems | Minimal direct ecosystem disruption | Land use and potential underground impacts |
| Material Footprint | High due to infrastructure (dams, reservoirs) but long lifespan | Significant due to mining rare metals | Moderate, involves underground caverns |
| Scalability & Lifespan | Large-scale, long lifespan, suitable for grid-level storage | Modular, shorter lifespan, recycling issues | Large scale, location dependent |
Summary
Pumped hydro storage, particularly closed-loop PSH, is environmentally advantageous due to its very low life cycle greenhouse gas emissions and relatively low ecosystem impacts compared to open-loop systems. Its main environmental concern involves water sourcing and reservoir impact, but these are typically less than those caused by open river damming. Compared to other storage technologies like batteries and compressed air, closed-loop pumped hydro stands out for its low global warming potential and suitability for large-scale, long-duration energy storage critical for renewable integration.
Thus, from an environmental perspective, closed-loop pumped hydro storage is among the greenest and most sustainable energy storage technologies available today, although site-specific environmental assessments and mitigations remain important for any new projects.
Original article by NenPower, If reposted, please credit the source: https://nenpower.com/blog/what-are-the-environmental-impacts-of-pumped-hydro-storage-compared-to-other-energy-storage-technologies-2/
