A novel pumped storage system integrating water transfer and energy storage: An application analysis

The lack of water resources in population centers is a persistent global issue. Meanwhile, the limited power system regulation capacity is a key issue that restricts further advances in renewable energy from sources, such as wind and solar. This paper proposes a novel pumped storage system (NPSS) integrating water transfer and energy storage functions, which can solve the issues of water shortage and renewable energy development restriction simultaneously. Compared with conventional water diversion projects, the NPSS utilizes a reversible pump and reservoir, which provide flexible and economically beneficial storage capacity for the power system to support the widespread deployment of renewable energy, making pumping water economic. Furthermore, an advanced water–electricity system joint optimal simulation model is proposed to verify the economic superiority of the NPSS. Based on the NPS, a case study is designed, in which the cross-basin water transfer project connects the Congo River and Nile. The results show that the project can satisfy the annual water transfer demand of 22 billion m 3 , meeting the local power demand, with a 28 % reduction in the overall investment cost for the water and power systems.