Gordon Butte Pumped Storage Hydro Project

[Music] clean and renewable solar and wind power are fueling our electricity while they are becoming the least cost alternative for new energy the power from these sources is variable it can be too much or too little depending on how the sun is shining and the wind is blowing keeping power supply in balance with demand is critical to keeping the electric grid stable and reliable with that goal in mind Absaroka Energy Development Group is working on an innovative project in Montana the project involves another renewable energy source hydropower specifically an approach called pumped storage hydropower is an ideal site for pumped storage hydropower it has ample water and space for two reservoirs including one at a higher elevation it is a closed-loop system eliminating flood risk and impacts to fisheries also access to electrical transmission lines is close the project Absaroka Energy is developing is a closed-loop facility it features two new man-made reservoirs one on top of Gordon Butte and another 1,000 feet lower at the toe of the Butte a powerhouse sits on the edge of the lower reservoir it contains pumps and turbines that will support the regional electrical grid through the coal strip transmission line a large pipe runs from the powerhouse to the upper reservoir the system works like a rechargeable water battery the excess energy flows from the transmission line to the powerhouse powering the pumps to lift water from the lower reservoir to the upper reservoir there in effect the excess energy is transferred and stored when the energy is needed to maintain the reliability of the electric grid given the intermittency of wind and solar power water from the upper reservoir is released through the turbines to the lower reservoir generating power there it waits to be lifted again gordon buttes design will facilitate numerous pumping and generating scenarios daily enabling higher penetration of intermittent renewables gordon buttes power house is designed for world-class functionality including safe efficient and long life operation and maintenance the power house will include three one hundred and thirty five megawatt pumps and three one hundred and thirty five megawatt turbines the facility will store enough energy to power approximately 300,000 homes per year with an expected lifespan of 70 years the engineers have designed the ultimate flexible and fastest response Pumped hydro facility to support today's and tomorrow's electric grid Absaroka Energy believes in developing renewable energy in a responsible and reliable way the Gordon Butte pumped storage hydropower project is an example it's efficient highly responsive long life and proven technology will store and deliver renewable energy while helping to keep the power on our grid stable and reliable for many years to come [Music]

Channel: Black & Veatch

Views: 6,696

Rating: 4.8947368 out of 5

Keywords: black, veatch, hydro, power, storage

Id: QG6NJ8Xah7w

Length: 3min 19sec (199 seconds)

Published: Fri May 03 2019