Montana Pumped Storage Could Support Wind/Solar
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A planned 400 MW pumped hydro storage project could provide electricity when there are lulls in solar and wind power production. The project, which might be completed in 2017, has support from Montana’s governor. “There are still additional steps that need to be taken. But I hope this project comes to full fruition,” Governor Bullock explained. “When I first heard about it, I was blown away by the innovative thinking. The potential is there – we are already an exporter of energy. Montana has the best wind in the nation. Not only is this a great project, but it provides a good platform for other energy opportunities in the state.”
Montana has enough wind resources that it could be one of the top 3 wind power producers in the United States. However, currently, it isn’t even close to that level.
The NRDC put it very succinctly on its website: “A study from Harvard University pegs Montana’s wind potential as second only to Texas, with accessible wind resources 370 times greater than the state’s electricity usage.”
That clearly means the whole state potentially could be powered by wind, and generate enough to sell electricity across state lines. If Montana currently spends billions each year on fossil fuels, imagine if it could generate all of its own electricity and what that would mean for the state’s economy.
Unfortunately, all the focus on going “green” or doing the right thing for the environment has somewhat covered up the fact that there are some favorable economics associated with clean energy.
For one thing, solar power has never been more affordable. In fact, even some utilities are building their own solar power farms as a cheaper option than buying electricity from fossil fuel power plants. Both solar and wind power are poised to decrease even further in cost.
The problem has been what to do when wind and sunlight are unavailable. Constructing a 400 MW pumped storage facility is definitely one option. The size of this project is impressive, but you also have to factor in for how long it can provide electricity. One source stated that the typical pumped storage design is for 6 to 20 hours of electricity.
Image Credit: FWS/Public Domain
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