The state-run Taiwan Power Co. (Taipower) says it’s looking into the feasibility of building more pumped-storage hydroelectricity (PSH) facilities.
The facilities would use wind and solar energy to pump water from low areas to high ground. Then at times of peak energy use, the water could be allowed to flow back downhill, creating hydroelectricity.
In a statement on Sunday, Taipower said that many forms of renewable energy come from intermittent energy sources. They said that storing the energy and using it on demand is a major challenge that they needed to address.
The company says that while it is working towards the possibility of using pumped-storage hydroelectricity, it is still in the early stages of looking into the possibility. It said that environmental impact and topographical assessments will require a lot more time.
The statement from Taipower follows media reports which said that Taiwan’s new government, which took office in late May, is planning to expand pumped-storage hydroelectricity. Right now Taiwan has two such plants. They produced about 1.4% of the total electricity generated in Taiwan last year.