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Renewable Energy in South Africa
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Pumped Storage Hydro
Typical: A dam is built in a river. When the water flows through turbines down river, it generates electricity.
By pumping water back into the dam from down stream, energy can be stored. The typical solution has been in implementation since 1907.
Variations: The fluid does not have to be water, other fluids work better. The dams do not have to be in a river. All that is needed is two holding areas, with sufficient differences in elevation.
These different variations are in different stages of implementation.
Mines, Mountains and Molehills
There are a large variety of gravity based storage solutions. They involve lifting and lowering heavy weights. These weights take many form, sand, rock, concrete and recycled windmill blades.
The lifting can take the form of free-standing cranes, cranes using old abandoned mine shafts and trains pulling wagons up and down a mountain.
Extreme small - Gravity Light
The gravity light is a product developed to provide light to the approximately 1bn people that do not have access to electricity.
Pumped Storage Hydro
Explanation
Typical: A dam is built in a river. When the water flows through turbines down river, it generates electricity.
By pumping water back into the dam from down stream, energy can be stored. The typical solution has been in implementation since 1907.
Variations: The fluid does not have to be water, other fluids work better. The dams do not have to be in a river. All that is needed is two holding areas, with sufficient differences in elevation.
These different variations are in different stages of implementation.
Status
Full Production
Storage Type Group
Gravity
Typical use
Slower response, long duration
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