RAG and RWE have signed a letter of intent to co-develop integrated wind and pumped storage hydro energy projects at RAG's coal slagheap sites in North Rhine Westphalia, the two German energy companies said in a statement Tuesday.
A pilot project is proposed at RAG's waste dump at Halde, near Hamm-Pelkum, with detailed planning beginning "as early as 2011," the two said.
The concept seeks to integrate intermittent wind output with the flexible response of pumped storage hydro power to provide steady, dependable output, RWE said. If the pilot is a success the companies would look to develop similar projects of 15-20 MW capacity at other RAG stockpile sites in North Rhine Westphalia.
RWE Innogy Chief Executive Fritz Vahrenholt said the region's slagheaps, some up to 100 meters high, have good wind and pumped storage potential. The Halde project would not require interference of the natural landscape, improving the likelihood of acceptance by the local population, he said.
Wind power would be used to pump water up from a lower to a higher lake on top of the 50-meter high Halde slagheap. Reserves from the 600,000 cubic meter upper lake could then be released to drive hydro turbines with capacity of 15-20 MW. The storage potential was equivalent to 75,000 car batteries, RWE said.
The companies have given themselves an 18-month timeframe to examine wind conditions, permitting issues and costs for the project.
A pilot project is proposed at RAG's waste dump at Halde, near Hamm-Pelkum, with detailed planning beginning "as early as 2011," the two said.
The concept seeks to integrate intermittent wind output with the flexible response of pumped storage hydro power to provide steady, dependable output, RWE said. If the pilot is a success the companies would look to develop similar projects of 15-20 MW capacity at other RAG stockpile sites in North Rhine Westphalia.
RWE Innogy Chief Executive Fritz Vahrenholt said the region's slagheaps, some up to 100 meters high, have good wind and pumped storage potential. The Halde project would not require interference of the natural landscape, improving the likelihood of acceptance by the local population, he said.
Wind power would be used to pump water up from a lower to a higher lake on top of the 50-meter high Halde slagheap. Reserves from the 600,000 cubic meter upper lake could then be released to drive hydro turbines with capacity of 15-20 MW. The storage potential was equivalent to 75,000 car batteries, RWE said.
The companies have given themselves an 18-month timeframe to examine wind conditions, permitting issues and costs for the project.
