Comments on: Minnesota Study Finds Promise in Using Abandoned Mesabi Iron Range Mines to Store Wind Energy

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 17:38:00 +0000

How deep are these pits? Deep enough to provide adequate head? If you pump one dry is there enough change in elevation from the surface level of one adjacent?

Or are they located along steeply sloped areas so that there is adequate fall from one to another?

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Germany is beginning to install pump-up in abandoned mines. Lots of head in a deep mine and often plenty of water. It requires only a reservoir at the surface large enough to hold the maximum number hours of water.

It might be possible to find mines which have side tunnels at different depths and put the entire operation below ground.

By: Sean Hancock

Sean Hancock — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 14:28:00 +0000

I am from the Mesabi Iron Range. All I have to say is the land is littered with water-filled abandoned iron ore mines. This idea makes sense.

By: Akbweb2

Akbweb2 — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 13:43:00 +0000

Funny, the US EIA uses millions of kilowatts in its tables for hydroelectric pumped storage, and thats what’s used in the source article as well…Couldn’t find a copy of the original report.

And lemme see a 100 MW capacity power plant turned on for one hour would produce 100 MWh of energy…The watt is a measure of instantaneous power. What’s the problem?

This would render your comment as, well, useless…

By: Michael

Michael — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 10:11:00 +0000

Really, Cleantechnica? This is just lazy.

Energy storage capacity needs to be given in units that evaluate to a quantity of energy, not power. A number given in Joules would make sense, or even preferably megawatt-hours (MWh) or gigawatt-hours (GWh). To quote energy storage capacity in terms of megawatts or gigawatts alone? Nonsensical.

A megawatt of power might be enough to light an incandescent bulb for thirty seconds or to power 500 homes for a day, all depending on how long that megawatt of power is applied.

Without that knowledge, this article is useless.