Switzerland is boosting its renewable energy industry with a 900 MW underground ‘water battery’
Fossil fuels (like coal, oil and gas) are the biggest contributors to global climate change and account for over 75 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions and almost 90 percent of all carbon dioxide emissions. That U.N. recommends the use of renewable energy sources in addition to a plant-based lifestyleto cut greenhouse gas emissions by almost half by 2030 and reach net zero by 2050.
That Nant de Drance is an underground pumped storage power plant in the Swiss Alps and designed as an alternative to non-renewable energy. The facility is 600 meters (1,968 feet) underground in a cavern between the Emosson and Vieux Emosson reservoirs and has a storage capacity of 20 million kWh (equivalent to 400,000 electric car batteries).
The lower reservoir Emosson is the second largest reservoir in Switzerland and its 180 meter high dam wall is the fifth highest in the country. The upper reservoir, Vieux Emosson, holds 25 million cubic meters of water and has been increased by 21.5 m (70.5 ft) to double its capacity.
The power plant has an operating capacity of 900 MW, making it one of the most powerful pumped storage power plants in Europe Gosgen nuclear power plantwhich covers around 15 percent of Switzerland’s electricity requirements.
Source: Nant de Drance SA/YouTube
The plant offers flexible power generation and plays a key role in this Stabilization of the power grid throughout Europe and in securing the electricity supply in Switzerland. If there is a surplus of electricity in the network, water is pumped from the lower reservoir to the upper reservoir and the excess energy is stored in the upper reservoir. When demand increases again, water flows from the upper reservoir and through the six underground turbines into the lower reservoir to generate electricity.
That construction of the plantresulting in the construction of 17 km (55774.3 ft) of tunnels and the excavation of 1.7 million m3 (60 feet3) of Rock, took 14 years to complete, an investment of more than CHF 2 billion, a collaboration of 60 companies and up to 650 workers. With such immense resources, it is fair to question the sustainability of this latest renewable energy. That Nant de Drance prioritized reducing the environmental impact of the pumped storage power plant and a high voltage line connecting the power plant to the electricity grid by initiating fifteen projects with a total cost of CHF 22 million.
These projects are supported by an advisory committee consisting of representatives from the WWF, Pro Natura, the canton of Valais and the Federal Office of Energy. Most actions aim to restore specific local biotopes such as wetlands to encourage the recolonization of the area by specific rare or endangered animal and plant species. These measures are carried out in cooperation with farmers and breeders from the region and support mountain agriculture. This project took 14 years to build, but it is plentiful proof This shows that anyone who follows a plant-based lifestyle can do it reduce their carbon footprint by 8 pounds a day, which equates to 2,920 pounds a year.
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