A hydropower plant built in 1984 is helping the UK avoid blackouts by converting renewable energy into electricity on demand.
In 1984, the Dinorwig hydropower plant in North Wales was built to store low-cost energy produced at night and supply it during the day. More than four decades later, the power plant plays a crucial role in keeping the lights on when the UK’s electrical grid faces power outages and can swing into action in just 75 seconds to prevent a major blackout.
Hydroelectric power uses the flow of water to move turbines and generate electricity. The technology is over a century old and has been used to power homes and industries in various parts of the world. Most of these projects were built using dams on rivers. Still, with changing climate and rainfall patterns, hydroelectric power plants have become less reliable for generating regular power. In the UK, hydropower contributes just two percent of overall energy production. Still, with the rise of renewable energy projects, a modified version of the hydropower project is rapidly becoming the top choice for long-term energy storage, which the Dinorwig project has repeatedly achieved. Long-term renewable energy storageWhile conventional hydropower plants work by generating electricity from water flowing through dams, projects like Dinorwig have mechanisms to pump back water that has passed the turbines back to higher reservoirs where it can be used to generate electricity once again. The recent rise of wind and solar energy projects has also created a demand for energy storage solutions that can power the grid when the supply is low. Much of this is being delivered through the use of chemical batteries, which are great in the short run but cannot support long-term energy storage. Projects like Dinorwig can use excess renewable energy to pump water back to their higher reservoir and be prepared to supply energy to the grid on demand when required. Representative stock image of an electrical grid. Image credit: yhelfman/iStockSupporting the grid of the futureIn the summer of 2019, when the UK faced a deluge of electricity, energy operators turned to Dinorwig to pump water through its 300 MW turbines. In a matter of 75 seconds, 86,000 gallons of water can flow down a 1,640-meter tunnel to generate 1,800 MW of power on demand.At a frequency of 50 Hz, this energy stabilizes the grid and prevents a power outage. In case of a major outage, it can also serve as a mechanism to restart the grid. Now, the company operating the facility is pumping in a billion pounds for a refurbishment that will extend the project’s life by at least 25 years. The refurbishment will take 10 years to complete but will only cost a third of what would be needed to build a brand-new project of a similar scale. As the UK invests in renewable energy to power its future, facilities like Dinorwig will help keep the lights on when the situation is dire. A similar project became operational in Switzerland a few years ago and can power 400,000 electric car batteries in one go.
Energy &Amp Environment Grid Stability Hydro Energy Storage Hydropower Plant Long Term Energy Storage Renewable Energy Wales
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