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Underground Pumped Storage Hydropower Case Studies in Belgium: Perspectives and Challenges

Author

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  • Alessandro Morabito

    (Aero-Thermo-Mecganics Department, Université libre de Bruxelles, 1050 Brussels, Belgium)

  • Jan Spriet

    (Department of Civil, Structural and Environmental Engineering, Trinity College, The University of Dublin, 2 Dublin, Ireland)

  • Elena Vagnoni

    (Laboratory for Hydraulic Machines, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1007 Lausanne, Switzerland)

  • Patrick Hendrick

    (Aero-Thermo-Mecganics Department, Université libre de Bruxelles, 1050 Brussels, Belgium)

Abstract

To avoid the geographical and topographical prerequisites of the conventional pumped hydro energy storage, the use of underground cavities as water reservoirs allows countries without steep topography, such as Belgium, to increase the potential of the energy storage capacity. Belgium abounds in disused mines and quarries convertible into water basins. In this article, two Belgian case studies are presented and discussed for their singularity. A slate quarry in Martelange is discussed in technical aspects proposing three operating scenarios. Moreover, a preliminary economic analysis of the underground pumped storage system and a greenhouse gas emission evaluation for the storage system’s lifetime are presented. The analysis for a 100 MW power plant estimates a total initial investment of over 12 million euros and two million of CO 2 avoided over its lifetime. This article also proposes the use of the coal mine 500 m deep of Pérronnes-lez-Binche. The mine representation discussed here offers a high energy capacity, but the substantial head drop (from about 500 to 200 m) challenges the selection of the hydraulic turbomachinery. A 1D simulation computed in SIMSEN draws out the behaviour of the unusual hydraulic configuration of turbines in series.

Suggested Citation

  • Alessandro Morabito & Jan Spriet & Elena Vagnoni & Patrick Hendrick, 2020. "Underground Pumped Storage Hydropower Case Studies in Belgium: Perspectives and Challenges," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(15), pages 1-24, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:13:y:2020:i:15:p:4000-:d:393869
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