Pumped Hydro Storage

Comments debate the feasibility, efficiency, and challenges of water-pumping based energy storage systems, often critiquing the need to pump water uphill and comparing to simple reservoir methods.

📉 Falling 0.3x Science
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Keywords

MediaObjects BWE britannica.com energy.gov wired.com cooperhewitt.org homedepot.com SF springer.com if.xkcd water pump pumping tank height turbine level flowing energy tanks

Sample Comments

engineer_22 May 11, 2025 View on HN

They're pumping water, see technical paper.

sschueller Jun 28, 2022 View on HN

Is this any more effective than just pumping water into a higher reservior? It seems like a lot of stuff can fail here.

aidenn0 Jan 18, 2024 View on HN

No; at some point you're going to lift the water up. That requires pumping.

millettjon Jul 5, 2020 View on HN

Would this work with water flows?

greesil Jul 23, 2023 View on HN

You can power it by pumping down an equal amount of surface water

abalone Jul 30, 2016 View on HN

You still have to pump the water uphill.

Xx25 Sep 2, 2022 View on HN

Why bother with water supply when you can use the air flow :(

sidewndr46 Oct 28, 2022 View on HN

Wouldn't you need two reservoirs in that case? Otherwise where is the water being drained down to take advantage of the potential energy?

sova Jul 2, 2021 View on HN

Could this be used to transport water long distances like an aqueduct?

foota Apr 20, 2020 View on HN

So like... why doesn't someone just fill a reservoir or something?