Pumped Storage Hydropower in Abandoned Mine Shafts: Key Concerns and Research Directions

The quest for carbon neutrality raises challenges in most sectors. In coal mining, overcapacity cutting is the major concern at this time, and the increase in the number of abandoned mine shafts is a pervasive issue. Pumped storage hydropower (PSH) plants built in abandoned mine shafts can convert intermittent electricity into useful energy. However, studies on basic theories and key technologies are a pressing issue. Six key scientific problems have been identified in PSH development in abandoned mine shafts that are relevant to China’s national conditions, current resource structure, and relative status of energy storage technologies in China and other countries. It is proposed that the research on pumped storage should move closer to the direction of intelligence, stabilization, and greening, and the construction and development should gradually realize integration, completion, and coordination. The goal is to realize integrated, complete, and coordinated development of PSH in abandoned mine shafts, streamline national policies concerning PSH, drive the co-development of industry, education and research, and achieve the carbon neutrality targets set by China.