How UK Hills Could Function as ‘Energy Batteries’

Quite a number of hills in the UK could be used to harness renewable energy “batteries.” The landmark hydropower system would be entrenched underground as engineers adapt to the old-fashioned form of storing energy.

According to Engineers, as quoted by BBC World News, they are seeking to use slopes rather than mountains or steep slopes. They argue that the technique would be cheaper to develop in comparison to the traditional hydropower dams. They also claimed that the project would have less negative impact to the environment.

The modeled version of the plant would emulate UK’s traditional hydropower industries by using the excess electric power to pump water upslope, which would later be released downslope via turbines to produce electricity.

RehEnergise, the firm behind the project, will deploy dense fluid, which is more than two and a half times the density of water, up the hill during low electricity demand. The water would then be stored in an underground storage tank and released when the demand of electricity surges.

According to a report published by Aurora Energy Research, at least 13 GW of renewable clean energy is expected to be generated by the plant that will help to balance the electricity grid in UK.