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May
11, 2023
By
Joe Schulz
Wisconsin utility will explore converting abandoned
mines into hydroelectric generators
'The pump storage system is in effect working like a large battery,'
says Dairyland Power Cooperative official
![](images/images_07_18_2023/9318643637_5f16894bf0_c.jpg)
This is a hydroelectric pumped storage
power plant on Dniester river in Moldova. A Wisconsin utility, Swedish
company and Michigan college hope to bring a similar concept to
abandoned mines in the upper Midwest. Global Water Partnership - a
water secure world (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)
A Wisconsin utility has a new plan to convert
abandoned mines in the upper Midwest into hydroelectric energy sites.
Last week, La Crosse-based Dairyland Power Cooperative announced a
partnership with Sweden-based Mine Storage International and Michigan
Technological University. Together, the three entities are exploring
options to install pumped storage hydropower in closed mines. It's a
way of storing energy using two water reservoirs at different heights.
To generate power, the water is released from the upper reservoir to
the lower one, passing through a turbine that generates electricity.
"The pump storage system is in effect working like a large battery to
store energy at economic times when it's not needed, and have it there
to discharge and produce power when it is needed," said John Carr, who
is leading the project for Dairyland.
![](images/images_07_18_2023/mine_storage_concept.jpg)
This is a conceptual drawing that
illustrates how pumped storage hydropower works. It pumps water is
from a lower reservoir to the upper one when energy is not needed. At
times of high demand, the water is released from the upper reservoir
to the lower one, passing through a turbine that generates
electricity. Photo courtesy of Dairyland Power Cooperative
Carr said the combined effort to repurpose former
industrial sites will support the utility's carbon reduction goals,
its grid reliability and renewable energy production.
He said the utility is looking at potential sites in Wisconsin, as
well as other Midwestern states. Carr said Dairyland is using a large
database of abandoned underground mines and narrowing it down to
suitable candidates.
Wisconsin has been home to mining for more than 2,000 years, according
to the state Department of Natural Resources. In fact, mining copper,
lead, iron and zinc helped shape the history of some regions in the
state, and played a major role in Wisconsin's development.
"It's safe to say that Wisconsin would be in that mix of locations
that we're considering, but we're even looking broader than that here
in our initial start," Carr said. "Ideally, we would find suitable
sites that are close to home. But we're starting very broad, and we
think that's necessary to make sure that we're finding the right
site."
Dairyland has been exploring storage alternatives for the last several
years, and reached out to Mine Storage last year in response to supply
chain issues affecting battery storage, Carr said. Shortly after, the
utility connected with Michigan Tech, which has conducted "a lot of
research" into pumped storage hydropower, he said.
"This technology will be highly dependent on
finding the right site, and making sure that there's community
engagement and support behind it," Carr said. "We believe we have two
very strong partners to assist us in that effort."
Raine Vasanoja, chief commercial officer at Mine Storage
International, said the company was founded about three years ago, but
its key leaders have decades of experience in the energy sector.
He said Mine Storage has developed a portfolio of projects in several
countries, and its first plants in Sweden are expected to begin
construction in the next 12 months or so.
"They're in the mid-Swedish area and in southern Sweden, where most of
the people live. It's a little bit like Milwaukee and Madison in
Wisconsin," Vasanoja said. "That's where we have the transmission
challenges with the electrical grid, so it's perfect from our point of
view, and from a system point of view as well."
He said the partnership with Dairyland provides Mine Storage with its
opportunity to enter the American market.
"We realize that the U.S. market is actually moving right now,"
Vasanoja said. "It's a big market with different state laws and
different regulations, so we basically chopped it into different
parts. And for now we're focusing on the upper midwest."
Both Carr and Vasanoja said the using old mines for pump hydro storage
creates an opportunity to revitalize an abandoned industrial site in a
way that's environmentally friendly and creates an economic value for
former mining communities.
Converting mines to pump storage hydropower facilities will generate
jobs during the construction phase of a project, as well as ongoing
operation and maintenance jobs as a site comes online, Carr said.
"It's full circle," he said. "Rather than rely on a technology that
may require more mining of rare earth materials, metals, that type of
thing, you're using a mine that's already run the course of its useful
life and putting it back into productive power generation."
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