PHES Calculator
Here you can download a calculator I developed in Microsoft Excel for calculating the capacity and costs of a pumped hydroelectric energy storage facility.
Originally, this software was designed to work in conjunction with our PHES Search software. Its primary function is to convert the topographical results from the PHES Search into energy capacities and costs. However, it can also be used to evaluate other energy storage installations by simply manipulating the "head" and "reservoir area" inputs to produce the energy storage capacities you want to evaluate.
The software contains a full list of instructions and is available free of charge. A screenshot of the calculator can be seen at the bottom of this page, along with a brief explanation of the results and the inputs required.
To download the software simply click on any of the links in the table below. If you use the calculator for an application, then could you contact me so I can add it to the list of applications below.
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This file contains the Energy Storage Capacity and Cost Calculator. |
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Here the calculator was used to develop the PHES search software. The search was carried out on an 800 km2 area in County Limerick, Ireland. Access to Science Direct is required to view this report. |
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The calculator has previously been used to assess the capacity and cost of pumped hydroelectric energy storage facilities available in the west of Ireland. Details will be availble here once the report has become publicly available. |
Available October 2010 |
Screenshot and Brief Explanation
The cells highlighted in yellow are the primary results from the calculator which indicate the capacities and annual investment costs of the storage facility.
The inputs highlighted in pink correspond to the parameters obtained during the PHES search i.e. the head and reservoir area available.
Each of the green inputs contains a dropdown menu of with three values: each value corresponds to either a low, medium, or high estimate for that parameter. This enables users to evaluate the sensitivity of a PHES site based on typical parameters found at existing PHES facilities. Note that the parameters are not related to one another in any way. A low value for the penstock flow rate could be combined with a high lifetime and a medium interest rate. Therefore, the user can specify the value for each parameter individually.
The orange inputs represent the cost parameters. These are fully editable as costs can vary substantially with each site and also over time.
Finally, none of the blue inputs can be edited to ensure the validity of the results produced by the software. However, it is important that a user understands the accuracy of their inputs when using the calculator.
