Janelle Edgar, Chris Anderson, Matthew Gross, Yuhao Sheng

Title:

Electricity Generation from Closed-Loop Pumped Storage Hydropower

Abstract:

With the growing need for renewable energy, there are two main issues: energy production intermittence and storage. Many types of renewable energies have varying power output and limited storage opportunities. To help combat this, the Department of Energy has sponsored the Hydropower Collegiate Competition, which our team, composed of four electrical engineers and four mechanical engineers, is competing in. We have been tasked with creating a design for a closed-loop pumped storage hydropower facility. This design involves using two stand-alone reservoirs, one higher than the other, that generate power from pumping water up and down. The competition involves three main challenges: the Siting, Design, and Community Connections Challenges. The Siting Challenge requires our team to select a site in the United States for our hydropower facility that can produce up to 1 GW of power and develop a feasibility assessment. With a few factors, our team used ArcGIS to narrow down three top sites, with our top site being in northern Arizona. The Design Challenge entails a complete design of our facility on our selected site. To accomplish the electrical portion of this, our electrical sub-team has created a digital circuit and a scaled prototype. Finally, the Community Connections Challenge necessitates that we connect with hydropower professionals and the local community. While connecting with both groups, our team has focused on the K-12 route by visiting local educational institutions and creating hydropower social media content. By participating in this competition, we are helping to prepare for a cleaner, greener society.