Rethinking Pumped Storage Hydropower in the European Alps A Call for New Integrated Assessment Tools to Support the Energy Transition

• Published in: Mountain research and development Vol. 36; no. 2; pp. 222 - 232
• Main Authors: Gurung, Astrid Björnsen, Borsdorf, Axel, Füreder, Leopold, Kienast, Felix, Matt, Peter, Scheidegger, Christoph, Schmocker, Lukas, Zappa, Massimiliano, Volkart, Kathrin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Department of Psychology, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana 47405 The International Mountain Society 01.05.2016; International Mountain Society
• Subjects: Alps; Analysis; Austria; Ecological sustainability; Electric utilities; Electricity; Electricity generation; Energy; Energy storage; energy transition; Environmental aspects; Environmental assessment; Environmental impact assessment; environmental impacts; Green economics; Hydroelectric power; Methods; MountainAgenda; Nuclear energy; Nuclear power plants; pumped storage hydropower; Pumped storage power plants; Renewable energy; Renewable resources; sustainability assessment; Sustainability assessments; Sustainable development; Sustainable technology; Switzerland; Target knowledge; Switzerland; Austria; United Kingdom > UK
• ISSN: 0276-4741; 1994-7151
• DOI: 10.1659/MRD-JOURNAL-D-15-00069.1

The European Alps are well positioned to contribute significantly to the energy transition. In addition to sites with above-average potential for wind and solar power, the “water towers” of Europe provide flexible, low-carbon power generation as well as energy storage. In the future, hydropower systems are expected to become more than mere electricity generators, serving a key role as flexible complements to intermittent power generators and as providers of large-scale seasonal and daily energy storage. Energy transition on national and European scales can be facilitated by expanding the capacity of pumped storage hydropower (PSHP) plants. Yet the extension of hydropower production, in particular PSHP, remains controversial, primarily due to environmental concerns. Focusing on 2 Alpine countries, Austria and Switzerland, this paper provides a system view of hydropower production and energy storage in the Alps. It discusses advantages and drawbacks of various assessment tools and identifies gaps and needs for the integrated assessment of PSHP plants. It concludes that instruments that evaluate the impacts and sustainability of PSHP projects need to be developed, elaborated, and applied in a participatory manner, in order to promote public dialogue, increase social acceptance, and, ideally, encourage energy consumers to become advocates of a sustainable energy future.