Largest ever UK pumped hydro gets planning.

[minimutly]

Largest ever UK pumped hydro scheme granted consent

Planning permission granted for 1.8 GW/ 40 GWh pumped hydro project in the Scottish Highlands. Developer Gilkes Energy says the real work begins now and is seeking “substantial capital” for the project.

www.pv-magazine.com

 

[minimutly]

Let's not get carried away here - this will cost hundreds of £millions, and only works for 22 hrs at max capacity.

 

[colnerov]

It has its place, in that it can quickly produce power to cover a sudden surge of demand (or substation fire ) certainly quicker than firing up a conventional gas or nuclear power station.

 

[frank horton]

but management will need a new / used Learjet for running about........
not against the idea but money seems to slip away into pockets and bribes...

 

[Pigeon_Droppings2]

Don't forget that reservoirs reduce sea levels too...well they would if we built enough of them .

 

[colnerov]

Don't forget that reservoirs reduce sea levels too...well they would if we built enough of them .

But sea levels are rising because of polar ice caps melting, every little helps.

 

[Morrisman]

But sea levels are rising because of polar ice caps melting, every little helps.

 

[Morrisman]

It has its place, in that it can quickly produce power to cover a sudden surge of demand (or substation fire ) certainly quicker than firing up a conventional gas or nuclear power station.

I do believe the idea has been in use in Norway for many years.

 

[daleyd]

I do believe the idea has been in use in Norway for many years.

It’s already used in the uk as well, Dinorwig and Ffestiniog in north wales (amongst others) have been in use since the 60’s providing rapid reaction stored power…

 

[cheb]

As has Cruachan, just outside of Oban. It has guided tours and a visitor centre too.

This things great, the excess power generated by nuclear has to used up somewhere.

 

[brightspark]

I do believe the idea has been in use in Norway for many years.

theres allready one up in scotland. it runs during the day producing electricity at peak demand then pumps the water back up over nite so not cheap to run but serves its purpose . everyone watching coronation street and krap and the adverts come on and everyone rushes out to make a cup of tea and the power needed goes sky high for 12 minutes then drops off i kid you not

 

[m_c]

As has Cruachan, just outside of Oban. It has guided tours and a visitor centre too.

This things great, the excess power generated by nuclear has to used up somewhere.

I'm booked to drive up to the dam again this year, and would like to do a guided tour, but the visitor centre only opens during the week.
But having just checked again for this year, I see the tours are suspended until the upgrade work is finished :/

 

[brightspark]

i visited the one in scotland about 40 years ago.seem to remember there were 3 turbines in the hall 2 running and one out for maintenance my mate asked the guide how they regulated the speed of the turbine to keep it at a constant 50 herts and she couldnt answer it

 

[m_c]

i visited the one in scotland about 40 years ago.seem to remember there were 3 turbines in the hall 2 running and one out for maintenance my mate asked the guide how they regulated the speed of the turbine to keep it at a constant 50 herts and she couldnt answer it

I know this.
My uncle was quite a senior engineer in a nuclear plant, and this was the question he got me to ask when getting a tour, just so he could check the tour guides had paid attention.

Once the generator is synced with the grid (which is the tricky part), you just need to monitor the load, and adjust accordingly. If the generator leads the grid too much, it'll try putting too much current into the grid, so the grid essentially acts as a brake. If the generator lags the grid too much, the load lessens, and could in extreme cases stop generating and become a motor.
Then there is the variable frequency of the grid, whereby it slows under load, which used to trigger various power plants to come online, but I suspect this is now done using far more modern control systems.

 

[gaz1]

Don't forget that reservoirs reduce sea levels too...well they would if we built enough of them .

they dont have enough drinking water reservoirs especially down the south as it stands now too much red tape to go through

 

[Pigeon_Droppings2]

they dont have enough drinking water reservoirs

I think very few have been built since the 1970s.

 

[Seadog]

Thames Water have sold 25 reservoirs and built none, I saw recently

 

[Ubique]

Have they sold them as reservoirs, and operate under control of others, or have they sold them as a land parcel and are now used for something else?

 

[Seadog]

Have they sold them as reservoirs, and operate under control of others, or have they sold them as a land parcel and are now used for something else?

Land, I believe.

 

[Ubique]

That's not a good answer to over-population.