A New Role For Hydropower In Long Duration Energy Storage

The article discusses the evolving role of hydropower in long-duration energy storage, emphasizing the need for alternatives to lithium-ion batteries to support the increasing integration of wind and solar power. While lithium-ion batteries effectively manage short-term grid balancing and emergencies, they fall short for long-duration storage required to handle seasonal and climate-related fluctuations. Currently, pumped storage hydropower dominates U.S. long-duration storage, accounting for about 95%, but innovations are emerging to diversify and improve storage solutions. A notable advancement comes from Texas-based Quidnet, which has developed a Geomechanical Energy Storage (GES) system that stores energy by pumping water into underground rock formations, using the natural elasticity of rock as a spring to hold pressure. This system can be deployed in unused oil and gas wells, offering a modular and potentially more sustainable alternative to traditional pumped storage. Supported by the U.S. Department of Energy and ARPA-E, Quidnet recently demonstrated a successful six-month energy storage test with no power loss