RheEnergise’s High-Density Hydro project has secured investment from the UK government’s GBP 1 billion Net Zero Innovation Portfolio fund
Image: RheEnergise
By ESS news
A British startup has commissioned a pilot energy storage project designed to allow smaller, flexible hydropower plants to be built in hills rather than mountains. RheEnergise received a grant from the UK government to support the development of the now operational Cornwood project in Plymouth, England.
The energy system uses a fluid with a low viscosity and greater density than water, but otherwise operates like a typical hydroelectric storage facility, pumping uphill when electricity demand is low and discharging when demand is high. The low viscosity and higher density of the fluid mean that the RheEnergise system requires two and a half times less vertical height than a standard hydropower plant, potentially expanding the number of viable locations for pumped energy storage.
The idea has received significant support from UK and European innovation funds. RheEnergise has received GBP 8.25 million ($11.3 million) from the UK government, as well as grant support from the European Innovation Council (EIC) Accelerator programme. The company aims to have commercial-scale projects operational within the next three years and is currently developing potential sites in the UK, Italy, Poland, Spain and North America.
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