NZ''s proposed pumped storage hydropower project will cost
If the proposed pumped hydro scheme at Onslow goes ahead and is managed well, it could be a major asset to diversify a low-carbon, self-resilient economy in Aotearoa
But the national electricity system depends heavily on the fluctuating storage capacity of hydropower lakes, which makes the country prone to energy shortages during dry years. The NZ Battery Project aims to address this. One of the options being investigated is the Onslow pumped storage hydropower (PSH) scheme.
The most economic, efficient, and lowest emissions technology for large-scale active energy storage is PHES. The economics of PHES are dependent on the geomorphology of the scheme and New Zealand should have an abundance of suitable sites.
It has been estimated that for New Zealand to achieve 100% renewable generation, given the electricity demand in 2010, would require an additional 1550 MW of peaking generation capacity and 364 GWh of storage .
Majeed, M., Evaluating the potential for a multi-use seasonal pumped storage scheme in New Zealand's South Island. 2019, The University of Waikato. Price, M., Hawea-Wanaka water exchange hydro-electricity scheme mooted, in Otago Daily Times. 2012, Otago Daily Times: Dunedin.
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