Who says you can't change? Coal mine in Germany becomes hydroelectric battery A coal mine in Germany is entering the 21st century and reinventing itself in the process. The Prosper-Haniel hard coal mine, founded in 1863, once provided fossil fuels that drove German industry for nearly five decades. But now, it’s getting a brand new identity and becoming what Bloomberg calls “a giant battery that stores excess solar and wind energy.” When it closes in 2018, the coal mine will become a 200 megawatt pumped-storage hydroelectric reservoir, which means it’ll behave as a battery and have the energy to power more than 400,000 homes, according to North-Rhine Westaphalia state governor Hannelore Kraft. So while the mine is remaining true to its roots of providing power to the people, it’s doing so in a new way. We'll see more and more of these innovative ways to store excess renewable energy in future. Whilst this is not a new idea itself, it is good to see it being implemented. http://ift.tt/2noqZZS
Comments