Developed by the Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) in the US, the dam has been designed as an energy storage facility that can help to balance loads on the grid.

The method, known as closed-loop pumped storage hydropower (PSH), uses off-peak, surplus power to pump water from a lower-elevation reservoir to a higher-elevation one. During periods of high demand, the stored water is returned to the lower reservoir, driving turbines to produce electricity.

Although the losses from the pumping process mean it consumes more energy than it generates, it can provide energy during times of peak demand and can be used to store intermittent renewables such as solar and wind power.

Image credit: Courtesy Of Swri

“PSH accounts for approximately 95 per cent of all energy storage in the US, and modern...