Power when Queensland needs it most
Why do we need energy storage?
Queensland’s energy system is evolving. Demand is growing and the way electricity is generated is changing. To keep power reliable and available when Queenslanders need it, the system needs to find ways to store energy and release it during periods of high demand.
Pumped hydro is a proven technology providing long-duration energy storage by storing energy when there is excess in the system and generating electricity when it is needed most.
What is pumped hydro?
Hydropower uses the power of moving water to generate electricity.
One form of hydropower is pumped hydro energy storage. Pumped hydro stores energy when it is available and generates electricity when it is needed. Think of it as a giant rechargeable battery that uses water and gravity to store energy for later use.
Throughout the day, electricity demand and generation can change. At times there is more energy available than is needed, while at other times demand is higher. Pumped hydro helps balance the system by storing energy during lower-demand periods and releasing it when demand increases.
By shifting energy from lower-cost periods to peak demand periods, pumped hydro helps make better use of available energy, supports a reliable electricity system and supports more efficient use of available energy across the electricity system.
How pumped hydro works
Pumped hydro works when excess energy generated from wind and solar is used to pump water from a lower reservoir up to a higher reservoir and stores this excess energy.
At peak times when energy is required, the water is released back downhill spinning turbines connected to generators, rapidly releasing stored power to Queensland homes and businesses when it’s needed.
The power output produced by the wind and sun can change quickly, but fast and flexible pumped hydro has the tools to keep the energy system reliable and secure – having long-duration energy storage in the mix is the only way to reliably transition to a renewable energy system.
Why pumped hydro matters
Queensland’s future energy system will rely on a mix of technologies working together to meet the State’s energy needs. No single source of generation can do it all.
Pumped hydro plays an important supporting role by storing energy when it is available and generating electricity when it is needed.
As a long-duration energy storage technology, pumped hydro works alongside other forms of generation and storage to support Queensland’s future energy mix. It provides flexibility when demand changes, helps maintain system reliability when generation levels vary, and ensures power is available when Queensland homes, businesses and industry need it most.
Pumped hydro has been used around the world for more than a century and remains one of the prominent and effective ways to store large amounts of energy.
our Projects
Borumba Pumped Hydro Project
Queensland Hydro is currently progressing a long-duration pumped hydro energy storage project at Lake Borumba.
