Assessment of pumped storage hydropower potential in Kuwait: A case study

• A case study approach supported by satellite data and simulation. • The study confirms the potential of PSH in Kuwait. • The proposed PSH plant could provide a storage capacity of 1982.6 MWh. • It could facilitate the expansion of future renewable power plants in Kuwait. • It could provide multiple benefits, such as load balancing and peak shaving. The increasing share of renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind, in global electricity generation highlights the need for effective and flexible energy storage solutions. Among various technologies, pumped storage hydropower (PSH) stands out as one of the most established energy storage methods owing to its flexibility and reliability. This makes it the preferred choice for large-scale energy storage applications. Herein, the technical feasibility of implementing a closed-loop PSH plant as a grid-scale energy storage system in Kuwait was evaluated using satellite data and UniSim Design Suite. The Jal Al-Zour site was identified as the most suitable location owing to its status as the site with the highest head-to-distance ratio in Kuwait based on the criteria used for site selection and plant design. The simulation results revealed promising potential for implementing a closed-loop PSH plant in the Jal Al-Zour area. The available area in the Jal Al-Zour site could support an energy storage capacity of 1,982.6 MWh, which would substantially benefit Kuwait’s electrical grid by improving grid stability, load balancing, and peak shaving. Furthermore, the proposed PSH plant would provide reserve capacity to support the future expansion of weather-dependent renewable power plants. The study highlights the potential of utilizing PSH technology in countries with arid climates and predominantly flat terrains. These findings demonstrate that PSH is both a technically feasible and strategically beneficial solution for large-scale energy storage in Kuwait.