Integration Of Underground Pumped Hydro Storage Membrane (UPHSM) System With Hybrid Of Renewables And Diesel Generator In Off-Grid Remote Area Communities of Ontario

Abstract

Worldwide, off-grid remote areas are facing energy issues. The Canadian remote communities depend on diesel generation posing many issues including high fuel cost and greenhouse gas emissions. The government policy is to connect such communities to electricity grid that requires high cost and long time. In this situation renewable generators, including wind and solar, may be an appropriate solution. However, their intermittent nature is problematic that needs to be addressed. Therefore, this project investigated the integration of underground pumped hydro storage membrane system (UPHSM) to address the intermittency to provide steady and reliable power supply. A four step systematic methodology is proposed to examine the feasibility of UPHSM in a remote community. The case study results show an overall 64 percent reduction in diesel consumption and 295696 t in CO2 emission. The study results also confirmed that the proposed system is a viable solution for off-grid remote areas.