In the UK, hydropower contributes just two percent of overall energy production. Still, with the rise of renewable energy projects, a modified version of the hydropower project is rapidly becoming the top choice for long-term energy storage, which the Dinorwig project has repeatedly achieved.
Long-term renewable energy storage
While conventional hydropower plants work by generating electricity from water flowing through dams, projects like Dinorwig have mechanisms to pump back water that has passed the turbines back to higher reservoirs where it can be used to generate electricity once again.
The recent rise of wind and solar energy projects has also created a demand for energy storage solutions that can power the grid when the supply is low. Much of this is being delivered through the use of chemical batteries, which are great in the short run but cannot support long-term energy storage.