Author(s): Chase Christensen, Najilah Jones, Kimber McMullin, Gabriel Thompson
Mentor(s): Mohamed Askar, Jorge Servert, Guy Thompson
Institution SUU
Pumped storage hydropower (PSH) is a type of energy storage collected during a set time for use at another time. It pumps and cycles water between two reservoirs at different elevations in order to store water and generate electricity. During low demand and cost for energy, water is pumped to an upper reservoir storing potential energy. The water is then released to the lower reservoir through a powerhouse when the energy grid requires additional generation. Traditionally, PSH pumps water at night and releases it during the day to generate electricity, with modest daily or seasonal variations. This research focuses on reviewing seven different innovative PSH sites in Cedar City, using a set of predefined evaluation criteria, such as hydrological and hydraulic (average gross head and flow rate), topography (reservoir size and shape and slope), geological (soil type, soil stability, and seismicity), water availability and quality, PSH losses (evaporation and transmission), economic (capital and O&M costs), environmental impact assessment (aquatic life and terrestrial habitat), Social (cultural heritage and welfare), Recreation (swimming, boating, fishing, camping, hiking, and skiing), technical (comply with the Engineering Standards, Codes, safety, and Guidelines), regulatory requirements, annual average energy production, energy demand, and apply new technologies (smart grid and resilience), and optimization (simulation and modeling). Seven sites were selected: 1. Fiddler's Butte, 2. Panguich Lake, 3. Prargonah, 4. New Harmony, 5. Tropic, 6. Paiute Reservation, and 7. Newcastle. The main conclusion of this research is Fiddler’s Butte is the most effective and suitable site for this PSH project in the Cedar City area.