The defunct Kidston gold mine in Australia will be converted into a pumped hydroelectric energy storage ( PHES ) system , the first of its kind globally . funded by Genex , an environmental consultancy , and funding from the Australian government , the project will reuse the mine ’s existing 400 m deep craters and install a 50 megawatt solar farm alongside the PHES system . The solar farm will cost approximately AUS $ 100 million and will be completed by 2017 . The PHES system will supply up to 2,250 MWh of power , using the combination of energy from wind and solar power and sending it to the grid when necessary .
The defunct Kidston gold mine in Australia will be converted into a pumped hydroelectric energy storage (PHES) system, the first of its kind globally. Backed by Genex, an environmental consultancy, and funding from the Australian government, the project will reuse the mine’s two 300m deep craters and create a 50 megawatt solar farm alongside the PHES system. The solar farm will cost approximately AUS $100m and will be completed by 2017. The PHES system will supply up to 2,250 MWh of power, using the storage of energy from wind and solar power and sending it to the grid when necessary.