Pumped-storage hydropower: trading off environmental values?

Date

2019-03-28

Authors

Pittock, Jamie

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Publisher

The Australian National University

Abstract

Aflood of pumped-storage hydropower (PSH) project proposals have washed over Australia in the past 5 years. This article will outline the nature of PSH, and its past and proposed use in Australia. Environmental impacts and opportunities from this technology are summarised, followed by an assessment of the implications for regulators in Australia. PSH projects exist and are under construction or are being considered in New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania and Victoria. While this old technology has been deployed in Australia since 1973, the need for greater energy storage capacity to enable increased use of intermittent solar and wind generation has seen a resurgence of interest in pumped storage. Thousands of physically feasible sites for PSH exist in Australia. PSH developments can involve trade-offs between greater use of renewable energy to mitigate climate change and other environmental values. The implications for regulating the negative impacts and positive synergies for PSH in Australia are discussed here.

Description

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Citation

Source

Woroni

Type

Newspaper/magazine article

Book Title

Entity type

Access Statement

Open Access via Publisher site

License Rights

DOI

Restricted until

2037-12-31