Large Tesla Battery

road-runner wrote:

kerrlakeRoo wrote:

pnichols wrote:
There is better energy storage method than batteries availabe in some parts of the U.S..

We have it a few miles from here. It's a reservoir that they pump water into during low energy usage times and then drain it through turbines to generate electricity during high usage times.

It seems like a great energy storage approach to me, but there must be problems with it because it's not used many places. Maybe the main problem is due to lithium battery storage being the "hot thing" right now.
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Thats an economics issue. During peak use periods they produce power by allowing water out, but pumping it back always uses more energy than it creates, But, since power is worth more during peak use times the difference in cost to pump it back can be overcome at night when consumption, and price per Kw are lower.

They've been doing this since 1973 at Grand Coulee dam. The stated purpose is for added power during peak demand on the grid.

Yes and what I said earlier was as well.
Think about it , the water falling through the dam spins a turbine and makes electricity, late at night another turbine powered by electricity spins to move the water uphill.
It will always take more energy to move the water uphill rather than downhill. But the energy during the peak need time (usually 4PM to 9PM) or so can be sold for more as people use the electricity to cook dinner, run AC to cool homes etc, late night, there is little demand so power has less monetary value so they can afford to pump the water back so its available at peak need time tomorrow.