Researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory have performed advanced hydrodynamic modeling and developed chemical models to assess the feasibility of converting abandoned coal mines into underground pumped storage hydropower (PSH) facilities that could provide energy storage to increase grid reliability and security.
PSH, which provides over 90 percent of domestic, utility-scale energy storage, typically requires geographic features such as hills and mountains to create a natural height differential between two reservoirs. By leveraging existing mine infrastructure, underground PSH could recreate and utilize this height differential in more regions, expanding the geographic reach of traditional PSH while reducing construction costs.
"Underground PSH is an exciting opportunity, but we have to overcome challenges like chemical erosion and structural stability," said ORNL Senior Researcher Thien Nguyen. "Our modeling tools will help industry partners evaluate these risks and make informed decisions about facility design, construction and operations at specific locations of interest." - Galen Fader
