• @delgato
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    4 hours ago

    Meanwhile the US only increased capacity in pumped hydroelectric by 2.1 Gw between 2010-2022 for a whopping 22 Gw total capacity. Hydroelectric generally hovers about 28% of total renewable energy electricity generation.

    The biggest problem (in the US) has been a lack of investment in new pumped hydroelectric projects not connected to improving existing dam infrastructure. Permitting huge new projects is unattractive but smaller ones in geographically/geologically favorable places like with most of the new sites being planned in California and Arizona will grow in the next 10 years.

  • @[email protected]
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    fedilink
    1218 hours ago

    For those wondering about the energy, not just the power:

    When fully charged, the upper reservoir can store enough energy to power the plant at full capacity for 10.8 hours, equivalent to nearly 40 GWh.