It can be the right tool for the job, but it's much more limited than claimed. You get a power source that works really well in late June during the day, but doesn't work great in winter in most places (because the sun isn't out) or at night (because the sun isn't out). In some places that's exactly when power is needed the most (peak energy use often occurs during the day on the hottest days of summer), but on the other hand we also use electricity for light at night and for heating our homes in the winter.
Some people go "Just use batteries", but given the scale of the engineering challenges associated with energy storage on that scale, it's like saying "just let them eat cake" when there's no bread to eat. It just isn't that easy.
Some people go "Just use batteries", but given the scale of the engineering challenges associated with energy storage on that scale, it's like saying "just let them eat cake" when there's no bread to eat. It just isn't that easy.
That's why I've always advocated for hydroelectric over all other options wherever it can be used. Millions of people get cheap, consistent power every day -- 60% of Canadian electricity is hydroelectric, and 99% of Norway's electricity as well.
In that sense, pumped water storage systems might not be a bad way to use solar or wind, since you can use the power to store elevated water to use later through a turbine. Typically peak loads happen in a single hour of the day so having on demand generation like that could be useful, especially if the energy it's fed by has no marginal cost.
In that sense, pumped water storage systems might not be a bad way to use solar or wind, since you can use the power to store elevated water to use later through a turbine. Typically peak loads happen in a single hour of the day so having on demand generation like that could be useful, especially if the energy it's fed by has no marginal cost.
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