Distributed pumped hydro for transforming energy and water access

能源催化剂(EC)6泵水电零能源电网平衡项目由行业合作伙伴水力动力技术有限公司(WPT)牵头。它已经有了一条明确的影响途径，在EC3达成的关于公羊泵部署的技术可行性和在全球多个地点部署公冲泵供水的经验(由商业或通过苏格兰政府的气候正义基金提供资金)的早期合作的基础上发展。这个中期的EC6项目专注于综合示范开发(TRL 6和7)，以及在两个地点转变能源获取以满足社区能源和水转移需求的应用，一个在马拉维，一个在乌干达。展示具有学术研究支持的运行数据的成功的零能量输入抽水蓄能(PHES)将立即打开新的客户和机会，这是该技术走向市场的关键的下一步。两个具体的技术目标集中在：(1)改善柱塞泵的运行性能-通过技术研究和开发测试，增加创新的Sureflow组件以提高系统水效率，将改善Papa泵(液压柱塞泵)的性能。(2)开发集成的PHES能力，与满足社区供水和发电需求相结合-PHES是目前可用的最快速和最可持续的经验证的可再生能源技术，并且很容易与供水网络集成。“零能源”输入PHES为满足干旱和环境监管条件的水储存和供应提供了强有力的低碳选择。还克服了季节性地表水流量变化对传统“径流”系统的限制。通过储存多余的洪水并在干旱时将其释放出来，水道中可以补充野生动物所需的补偿流量和农民的收入，或者渔业和养鱼保护等活动，提供更广泛的好处，不仅仅是为家庭提供最快的电力，也是当地社区的可再生能源储存。WPT已经设计、申请了专利，并证明了一种新的水泵，它只需利用水压就能将水垂直和远距离输送100‘S米。这些可以为微型和迷你PHES系统和农业应用提供更多机会。在电力需求高峰期，可以从湖泊网络中释放水，为电网或特定负荷发电。如果没有WPT的一系列新的大型零能量抽水系统，分布式微型PHES以前甚至在理论上都不可能实现，因为它需要电力来填满蓄水湖或水库。因此，到目前为止，它从未被认真考虑作为一种低成本/战略能源储存选择。这一EC6项目旨在通过与当地主要合作伙伴(乌干达的Makerere大学；以及马拉维的BaseFLOW、Mega和社区能源)合作开发一个成功的PHES演示器来挑战这一点，以展示改变非洲社区获得能源机会的潜力。长期以来，非洲社区的用水需求往往集中在妇女身上，需要充分了解当地的关系和作用，以最有力地证明这项技术作为一个综合系统的价值。WPT和斯特拉斯克莱德大学已经与社区洞察集团合作，社区洞察集团是一家知名的老牌社会影响评估咨询集团，该集团将支持研究活动，以确定关键角色、机会和解决方案，以改变示威者社区中所有人获得水和能源的机会。

The Energy Catalyst (EC) 6 Pumped Hydro with Zero Energy Grid Balancing project is led by industrial partners Water Powered Technologies Ltd (WPT). It already has a clear pathway to impact, developing on a concluded EC3 Early-Stage collaboration on the technology feasibility around ram pump deployment and the experiences of deploying ram pumps at multiple locations worldwide for water supply (funded commercially or through the Scottish Government's Climate Justice Fund).This mid-stage EC6 project focuses on integrated demonstrator development (TRL 6&7) and application in transforming energy access for community energy and water transfer needs in two sites, one in Malawi and one in Uganda. Demonstrating a successful zero-energy input Pumped Hydro Electric Storage (PHES) with operational data supported by academic research will immediately open up new customers and opportunities is a key next step on the technology's route to market.Two specific technical objectives are focused on:(1) Improving ram pump operational performance - The Papa pump (a hydraulic ram pump) performance will be improved through technical research and development testing the addition of the innovative Sureflow component to enhance system water efficiencies.(2) Developing an integrated PHES capability, combined with meeting community water supply and power generation needs - PHES is the most rapid and sustainable proven renewable energy technology currently available and readily integrates with water supply networks."Zero energy" input PHES offers strong low-carbon options for providing water storage and supply to meet drought and environmental regulation conditions. also overcomes the limits seasonal surface water flow variabilities have on traditional 'run of river' systems. By storing excess flood water and releasing it in drought water courses can be replenished with 'compensation' flows necessary for wildlife and incomes for farmers or activities such as fishing and fish farming protection, offering wider benefits beyond being the fastest provider of electricity to homes and a renewable energy store for the local community.WPT has designed, patented and proven a new water pump which uses just water pressure to move water 100's meters vertically and over long distances. These could allow many more opportunities for micro and mini PHES systems and agricultural use. At times of peak electricity demand water could be released from a network of lakes, generating power for the grid or specific loads. Without WPT's range of new large scale, zero energy pumping systems, distributed micro PHES has never before been even theoretically possible as it required power to fill the storage lakes or reservoirs. Therefore, it has never been seriously considered until now as a low cost/ strategic energy storage option. This EC6 project aims to challenge this through developing a successful PHES demonstrator in collaboration with key local partners (University of Makerere Uganda; and BaseFLOW, MEGA and Community Energy Malawi; Malawi) to demonstrate the potential for transforming the energy access opportunities for African communities.Supporting this project is an essential programme of activity around gender and social role based group inclusion. It is long established that African community water needs are often focused around women and there is need to understand fully local relationships and roles to deliver the strongest possible demonstration of the value of this technology being employed as an integrated system. WPT and the University of Strathclyde have partnered with Community Insights Group, a wellknown and establish social impact assessment consultancy group, who will support research activity to establish critical roles, opportunities and solutions for transforming water and energy access for all in the demonstrator communities.