Pumped Storage Hydropower: A Grid Intermittency Solution

Abstract

As public pressure and state emissions targets increasingly promote grid decarbonization, society must find solutions to the intermittency problem of renewable energy. While several emerging battery technologies provide a solution to this problem, pumped storage hydropower (PSH) is the most promising given its long lifecycle and widespread deployment. This paper will analyze and compare PSH with other battery technologies, review existing funding opportunities, and provide recommendations on how the United States government can effectively promote grid sustainability. By repurposing abandoned mountaintop removal coal mining sites, the government can increase PSH capacity.