Pumped storage

Pumped storage plants can be said to be "hydropower plants on speed" or "mutated hydropower plants". The pumped storage plants have the opportunity to both produce energy by releasing water from the upper reservoir to the lower reservoir, and store energy by pumping water from the lower reservoir to the upper reservoir. 

They can therefor run the water and the electric energy in both directions and provide great value both for the owner of the power plant and forr society.

Energy storage is necessary for the renewable society

In the ongoing transition from fossil energy sources to renewable energy sources in Europe, large amounts of energy storage are required, since the new renewable energy primarily comes from the sun and wind. Pumped storage plants can be used to store energy from sunny and windy days with less wind and sun. The amount of energy that is to be stored from unregulated renewables such as wind and solar, is so large that the current capacity of batteries today are not large enough.

Pumped storage, on the other hand, can store incredibly large amounts of electrical energy, and is currently the most used technology for large-scale energy storage in the world. In order to be able to handle the large amounts of renewable energy that are planned to be developed in the future, pumped storage plants will play a key role in ensuring energy storage and that we have electricity in the grid when it is needed.

Pumped storage can create a new "golden age"

In Norway, we currently have almost 2,000 hydropower plants, while we only have around 10 pumped storage plants. At the same time, Norway has approximately 50% of the total energy storage capacity in Europe in existing hydropower storages. This means we have a great potential when it comes to converting our existing hydropower plants into pumped storage plants. Large-scale development of pumped storage plants has long been expected to create a new golden age for the Norwegian hydropower industry.

Research on pumped storage plants is necessary to further develop the technology and develop solutions that provide higher efficiency, a wider range of applications, lower costs and less environmental consequences. New research from HydroCen has specifically dealt with the conversion of existing hydropower plants to pumped storage plants, which present special challenges as you have to deal with existing infrastructure and components.

Solutions for conversion to pumped storage

If smart solutions can be found for the conversion of existing hydropower plants to pumped storage plants, this can mean that many pumped storage projects can become economically attractive for Norwegian power companies, which in turn can make a significant contribution to the European transition from fossil to renewable energy sources.

There is a lot of research that is relevant to pumped storage plants in HydroCen:

  • Variable speed for pumped storage machines (PhD Raghbendra Tiwari)
  • Conversion of Francis turbines to reversible pump turbines (PhD Helene Dagsvik)
  • Reconstruction of the tunnel system for the upgrade of a hydropower station to a pumped storage station (PhD Livia Pitorac)
  • The effect of hydraulic transients on the stability of hydropower tunnels (PhD Bibek Neupane)
  • Large-scale conversion of existing hydropower systems (AlternaFuture)
  • Self-flushing sand traps for pumped power plants (PhD Ola Haugen Havrevoll)

CONTACT

RESEARCH RESULTS

HANDBOOKS AND TOOLS

PUBLICATIONS

Evaluation and Comparison between Multilevel Converters for Variable Speed Operation of Pumped Storage Power Plants with Full-size Converters 
Raghbendra Tiwari, Roy Nilsen & Arne Nysveen (2021)


Control Strategies for Variable Speed Operation of Pumped Storage Plants with Full-size Converter Fed Synchronous Machines
Raghbendra Tiwari, Roy Nilsen & Olve Mo (2021)


Modular Multilevel Converter for Variable Speed Operation of Pumped Storage Hydropower Plants
Raghbendra Tiwari, Roy Nilsen & Arne Nysveen (2021)


Long-term impact on unlined tunnels of hydropower plants due to frequent start/stop sequences
Bibek Neupane & Krishna Kanta Panthi (2021)


Evaluation on the Effect of Pressure Transients on Rock Joints in Unlined Hydropower Tunnels Using Numerical Simulation 
Bibek Neupane & Krishna Kanta Panthi (2021)


Cyclic fatigue in unlined hydro tunnels caused by pressure transients
Bibek Neupane, Krishna Kanta Panthi & Kaspar Vereide (2021)


Efficiency of Pressurized Rock Traps for Unlined Hydropower Tunnels 
Ola Haugen Havrevoll, Kaspar Vereide & Leif Lia (2021)


Operation of Norwegian Hydropower Plants and Its Effect on Block Fall Events in Unlined Pressure Tunnels and Shafts
Bibek Neupane, Kaspar Vereide & Krishna Kanta Panthi (2021)


Improved design of unlined air cushion surge chambers
Henki Ødegaard, Kaspar Vereide & Bjørn Nilsen (2021)


Effect of power plant operation on pore pressure in jointed rock mass of an unlined hydropower tunnel: An experimental study 
Bibek Neupane, Krishna Kanta Panthi & Kaspar Vereide (2020)


Numerical simulation of pore pressure in rock joints during pressure transient in an unlined hydropower tunnel
Bibek Neupane & Krishna Kanta Panthi (2020)


Active NPC Converter for Variable Speed Operation of Pumped Storage Hydropower Plant
Raghbendra Tiwari, Roy Nilsen & Arne Nysveen (2020)


Analytical Loss Equations for Three Level Active Neutral Point Clamped Converters 
Raghbendra Tiwari & Roy Nilsen (2020)


Active Compensation of Unbalanced Load Currents in Grid Connected Voltage Source Converters
Raghbendra Tiwari & Roy Nilsen (2019)


Instrumentation and pore pressure monitoring technique for unlined tunnels of Norwegian hydropower projects - A case study
Bibek Neupane, Krishna Kanta Panthi & Kaspar Vereide (2019)


Effect of pressure fluctuations in long-term stability of unlined pressure shaft at Svandalsflona Hydropower project, Norway
Bibek Neupane & Krishna Kanta Panthi (2019)


Method for monitoring of pore pressure in jointed rock mass of an unlined headrace tunnel subjected to varying power plant operation: A case study
Bibek Neupane, Krishna Kanta Panthi & Kaspar Vereide (2019)


Uforede luftputekammer - Tre forslag til designforbedringer
Henki Ødegaard & Kaspar Vereide (2018)


Upgrading of a Norwegian pressurized sand trap combined with an open air surge tank 
Wolfgang Richter, Kaspar Vereide & Gerald Zenz (2017)

MORE RELEVANT TOPICS

About HydroCen

We are a research center for environmentally friendly energy.

Researchers will deliver knowledge and innovative solutions to Norwegian hydropower.

The goal is for the research to contribute to Norwegian hydropower being able to meet complex challenges and opportunities in the future's renewable energy system.

Norwegian University of Science and technology (NTNU) is the host institution and main research partner in HydroCen together with SINTEF Energy and the Norwegian Institute for Natural Research (NINA). HydroCen has around 50 national and international partners from research, industry and administration.

About the Knowledge Hub

The goal of the Knowledge Hub is to collect and make available the knowledge from the research in HydroCen so that the results can be used directly by the hydropower industry or in further research, thereby helping to ensure value creation and societal benefit.

Newsletter from HydroCen

We regularly send out newsletters with research results and news. Please register here:

CONTACT

RESEARCH RESULTS

HANDBOOKS AND TOOLS

PUBLICATIONS

Evaluation and Comparison between Multilevel Converters for Variable Speed Operation of Pumped Storage Power Plants with Full-size Converters 
Raghbendra Tiwari, Roy Nilsen & Arne Nysveen (2021)


Control Strategies for Variable Speed Operation of Pumped Storage Plants with Full-size Converter Fed Synchronous Machines
Raghbendra Tiwari, Roy Nilsen & Olve Mo (2021)


Modular Multilevel Converter for Variable Speed Operation of Pumped Storage Hydropower Plants
Raghbendra Tiwari, Roy Nilsen & Arne Nysveen (2021)


Long-term impact on unlined tunnels of hydropower plants due to frequent start/stop sequences
Bibek Neupane & Krishna Kanta Panthi (2021)


Evaluation on the Effect of Pressure Transients on Rock Joints in Unlined Hydropower Tunnels Using Numerical Simulation 
Bibek Neupane & Krishna Kanta Panthi (2021)


Cyclic fatigue in unlined hydro tunnels caused by pressure transients
Bibek Neupane, Krishna Kanta Panthi & Kaspar Vereide (2021)


Efficiency of Pressurized Rock Traps for Unlined Hydropower Tunnels 
Ola Haugen Havrevoll, Kaspar Vereide & Leif Lia (2021)


Operation of Norwegian Hydropower Plants and Its Effect on Block Fall Events in Unlined Pressure Tunnels and Shafts
Bibek Neupane, Kaspar Vereide & Krishna Kanta Panthi (2021)


Improved design of unlined air cushion surge chambers
Henki Ødegaard, Kaspar Vereide & Bjørn Nilsen (2021)


Effect of power plant operation on pore pressure in jointed rock mass of an unlined hydropower tunnel: An experimental study 
Bibek Neupane, Krishna Kanta Panthi & Kaspar Vereide (2020)


Numerical simulation of pore pressure in rock joints during pressure transient in an unlined hydropower tunnel
Bibek Neupane & Krishna Kanta Panthi (2020)


Active NPC Converter for Variable Speed Operation of Pumped Storage Hydropower Plant
Raghbendra Tiwari, Roy Nilsen & Arne Nysveen (2020)


Analytical Loss Equations for Three Level Active Neutral Point Clamped Converters 
Raghbendra Tiwari & Roy Nilsen (2020)


Active Compensation of Unbalanced Load Currents in Grid Connected Voltage Source Converters
Raghbendra Tiwari & Roy Nilsen (2019)


Instrumentation and pore pressure monitoring technique for unlined tunnels of Norwegian hydropower projects - A case study
Bibek Neupane, Krishna Kanta Panthi & Kaspar Vereide (2019)


Effect of pressure fluctuations in long-term stability of unlined pressure shaft at Svandalsflona Hydropower project, Norway
Bibek Neupane & Krishna Kanta Panthi (2019)


Method for monitoring of pore pressure in jointed rock mass of an unlined headrace tunnel subjected to varying power plant operation: A case study
Bibek Neupane, Krishna Kanta Panthi & Kaspar Vereide (2019)


Uforede luftputekammer - Tre forslag til designforbedringer
Henki Ødegaard & Kaspar Vereide (2018)


Upgrading of a Norwegian pressurized sand trap combined with an open air surge tank 
Wolfgang Richter, Kaspar Vereide & Gerald Zenz (2017)

MORE RELEVANT TOPICS

About HydroCen

We are a research center for environmentally friendly energy.

Researchers will deliver knowledge and innovative solutions to Norwegian hydropower.

The goal is for the research to contribute to Norwegian hydropower being able to meet complex challenges and opportunities in the future's renewable energy system.

Norwegian University of Science and technology (NTNU) is the host institution and main research partner in HydroCen together with SINTEF Energy and the Norwegian Institute for Natural Research (NINA). HydroCen has around 50 national and international partners from research, industry and administration.

About the Knowledge Hub

The goal of the Knowledge Hub is to collect and make available the knowledge from the research in HydroCen so that the results can be used directly by the hydropower industry or in further research, thereby helping to ensure value creation and societal benefit.

Newsletter from HydroCen

We regularly send out newsletters with research results and news. Please register here:

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