San Diego Solar Water Pump

Could solar power be stored in San Diego's San Vicente Reservoir?

Pumping water into a smaller reservoir in the surrounding mountains could store excess solar power until it's needed, when the sun sets. The San Diego County Water Authority has an unusual plan to use the city's scenic San Vicente Reservoir to store solar power so it's available after sunset.

How does solar power work in California?

When the sun is high in the sky, California's abundant solar power will pump water into that upper reservoir. It's a way to store the electricity.

How many megawatts of energy will the San Diego Water Authority store?

When completed, the project could store 4,000 megawatt-hours per day of energy and provide enough energy for about 135,000 households. For more information, visit the San Diego County Water Authority website.

Is San Vicente pumped Energy Storage a water battery?

Neena Kuzmich, deputy director of engineering for the San Diego County Water Authority, has been working on plans for pumped energy storage at the San Vicente reservoir. "It's a water battery!" says Neena Kuzmich, Deputy Director of Engineering for the water authority.

What is pumped hydro energy storage?

The technology that San Diego is proposing, called pumped hydro energy storage, is already operating at more than 40 sites in the United States. Some of the largest ones, which can generate more than 1000 MW for up to eight hours, were built during the 1970s and 1980s to store electricity that nuclear power plants generated during the night.

How does solar power work?

It's a way to store the electricity. When the sun goes down and solar power disappears, operators would open a valve and the force of 8 million tons of water, falling back downhill through those same pipes, would drive turbines capable of generating 500 megawatts of electricity for up to eight hours. That's enough to power 130,000 typical homes.