10 Reasons to Love Water Batteries
Every summer, millions of people across the country stay indoors to keep cool and stay healthy. In a summer like 2021’s record-setting heat wave, there’s nothing more satisfying than the feeling of a crisp, air-conditioned room.
But heat is not just inconvenient; it can be dangerous. In the United States, more than 600 people die from extreme heat every year, and that number could climb because of the effects of climate change. If everyone cranks up their air conditioning or turns on fans, the grid — which shuttles our electricity from place to place — can short-circuit, putting millions at risk—from hospitals, grocery stores, to nursing homes, and even our schools.
One of the biggest ways our grid avoids short-circuiting? Water batteries.
(Pumped-storage hydropower is the most dominant form of energy storage on the electric grid today. It also plays an important role in bringing more renewable resources on to the grid.)
Also known as pumped storage hydropower, water batteries are made of two big pools of water, one high above the other, that act like an hourglass to provide power. They’re some of the biggest batteries on Earth, and that’s just one of many reasons we love pumped storage hydropower — and you should too!
In honor of National Hydropower Day on August 24, here are 10 reasons to appreciate how important — and powerful — water batteries are, and why we need to continue investing in these important resources across the country.
- Grid overload? Thanks to water batteries, it’s rare. When other energy sources like solar and wind make more electricity than nearby homes need, that extra power pushes water up into the water battery’s top pool where it waits, “charging” the water battery. Then, when needed—like during a grid-gutting heat wave — the water is released from that top pool and flows down, spinning a turbine that creates electricity to power your lights, refrigerator, or other essentials.
- Mother nature is no problem for water batteries. Renewable energy is crucial for a clean energy future, but sometimes, mother nature makes it challenging. Water batteries can fill energy gaps on cloudy and still days, making sure clean energy is still reliable energy.
- Pumped storage hydropower provides 93% of U.S. energy storage. Pumped storage hydropower projects are some of the biggest long-term energy storage systems around today. You might have yet to see this invisible force, but it’s helping to power the world around you.
- The United States of water batteries — in 2021, 18 states and all major regions of the country use pumped storage hydropower to store energy. California, Virginia, and South Carolina get the most out of these clean energy pools, and three new states have projects in progress (which will bring the total up to 21).
- In the United States, pumped storage hydropower can store up to 553 gigawatt-hours of energy. That could power video gaming across the entire country for about a week. Every year, American video gamers use about as much energy as 85 million refrigerators or 5 million cars.
- Pumped storage is the most efficient large energy storage system currently available — clocking in at 70-80%! Because it takes energy to store energy, no storage system — not even typical batteries — are 100% efficient. Pumping water into a water battery’s top reservoir requires a burst of energy. Still, a good 80% of what goes up, comes back down.
- Hydropower and pumped storage facilities provide 40% of the power needed to jumpstart a grid after a blackout. Ice storms, wildfires, and even hackers could stop the electric grid from powering our homes and offices. When emergencies knock out other energy sources, water batteries can turn on fast to keep people safe and comfortable.
- Natural disasters are no match for hydropower and pumped storage’s flood control and irrigation benefits! Water batteries can save you from those, too — they help absorb that extra water and use it to power your home (or help put out those wildfires that can harm the grid). The pools of water can also give clean water to crops, and you, too, making sure you don’t go thirsty during a heatwave.
- U.S. pumped storage hydropower grew without any new construction. How does that work? Through “capacity increases” or upgrades to facilities that make them more powerful. From 2010 to 2019, upgrades at just six pumped storage facilities led to 1,400 MW in capacity increase for U.S. pumped storage. That means that within the capacity of U.S. pumped storage — without any new construction — pumped storage grew by almost as much as all other types of energy storage combined.
- Water batteries are almost a century old. 90 years in fact. The first U.S. water battery — dubbed the 10-mile storage battery — popped up in Connecticut in 1930. Almost a century later, water batteries still provide energy at a low price. Here’s to the next 90!
Article courtesy of office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy.
Featured Image courtesy of Energy.gov
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Leading yard operation 3PL YMX Logistics has announced plans to deploy fully twenty (20) of Orange EV’s fully electric Class 8 terminal trucks at a number of distribution and manufacturing sites across North America.
As the shipping and logistics industries increasingly move to embrace electrification, yard operations have proven to be an almost ideal use case for EVs, enabling companies like Orange EV, which specialize in yard hostlers or terminal tractors, to drive real, impactful change. To that end, companies like YMX are partnering with Orange EV.
“This relationship between YMX and Orange EV is a significant step forward in transforming yard operations across North America,” said Matt Yearling, CEO of YMX Logistics. “Besides the initial benefits of reduction in emissions and carbon footprint, our customers are also seeing improvements in the overall operational efficiency and seeking to expand. Our team members have also been sharing positive feedback about their new equipment and highlighting the positive impact on their health and day-to-day activities.”
This Orange looks good in blue
One of the most interesting aspects of this story – beyond the Orange EV HUSK-e XP’s almost unbelievable 180,000 lb. GCWR spec. – is that this isn’t a story about California’s ports, which mandate EVs. Instead, YMX is truly deploying these trucks throughout the country, with at least four currently in Chicago (and more on the way).
“Our collaboration with YMX Logistics represents a powerful stride in delivering sustainable yard solutions at scale for enterprise customers,” explains Wayne Mathisen, CEO of Orange EV. “With rising demand for electric yard trucks, our joint efforts ensure that more companies can access the environmental, financial, and operational benefits of electrification … this is a win for the planet, the workforce, and the bottom line of these organizations.”
We interviewed Orange EV founder Kurt Neutgens on The Heavy Equipment Podcast a few months back, but if you’re not familiar with these purpose-built trucks, it’s worth a listen.
HEP-isode 26
SOURCE | IMAGES: YMX Logistics.
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On today’s thrilling episode of Quick Charge, we’ve got the all-new Hyundai IONIQ 9 and its “a “rolling living room” pivoting captain’s chairs, Kia gets a go-fast 7 passenger SUV and an updated EV6, while Honda announces plans to start producing solid-state batteries at its new facility in just a few weeks.
We’ve also got big news for American workers – a Minnesota power company is ditching coal for solar while ExxonMobil and LG Chem get to work extracting thousands of tons of lithium out of Tennessee’s soil.
Today’s episode is sponsored by BLUETTI, a leading provider of portable power stations, solar generators, and energy storage systems. For a limited time, save up to 52% during BLUETTI’s exclusive Black Friday sale, now through November 28, and be sure to use promo code BLUETTI5OFF for 5% off all power stations sitewide. Learn more by clicking here.
You can watch the episode, below.
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Read more: Farm-fegnugen? Volkswagen rolls out an electric tractor.
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Arevon Energy has kicked off operations at Vikings Solar-plus-Storage – one of the US’s first utility-scale solar peaker plants.
The $529 million project in Imperial County, California, near Holtville, features 157 megawatts of solar power paired with 150 megawatts/600 megawatt hours of battery storage.
Vikings Solar-plus-Storage is designed to take cheap daytime solar power and store it for use during more expensive peak demand times, like late afternoons and evenings. The battery storage system can quickly respond to changes in demand, helping tackle critical grid needs.
Vikings leverages provisions in the Inflation Reduction Act that support affordable clean energy, strengthen grid resilience, boost US manufacturing, and create good jobs.
The Vikings project has already brought significant benefits to the local area. It employed over 170 people during construction, many local workers, and boosted nearby businesses like restaurants, hotels, and stores. On top of that, Vikings will pay out more than $17 million to local governments over its lifespan.
“Vikings’ advanced design sets the standard for safe and reliable solar-plus-storage configurations,” said Arevon CEO Kevin Smith. “The project incorporates solar panels, trackers, and batteries that showcase the growing strength of US renewable energy manufacturing.”
The project includes Tesla Megapack battery systems made in California, First Solar’s thin-film solar panels, and smart solar trackers from Nextracker. San Diego-based SOLV Energy handled the engineering, procurement, and construction work.
San Diego Community Power (SDCP) will buy the energy from the Vikings project under a long-term deal, helping power nearly 1 million customer accounts. SDCP and Arevon have also signed an agreement for the 200 MW Avocet Energy Storage Project in Carson, California, which will start construction in early 2025.
Vikings is named after the Holtville High School mascot, and Arevon is giving back to the local community by funding scholarships for deserving Holtville High students.
Arevon is a major renewable energy developer across the US and a key player in California, with nearly 2,500 MW in operation and more than 1,250 MW under construction.
Read more: Minnesota’s largest coal plant goes solar: Sherco Solar comes online
If you live in an area that has frequent natural disaster events, and are interested in making your home more resilient to power outages, consider going solar and adding a battery storage system. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. They have hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them.
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