Valhalla - Innovative pumped hydro storage facilities in Chile: Challenges from a rock mechanical point of view

This paper presents a unique pumped hydro storage facility using the ocean as a lower reservoir, combined with solar photovoltaic to create consistent, clean power. This project will allow for large-scale renewable energy adoption in Chile. The country's Atacama Desert has one of the best solar resources of the world. Unfortunately, the electricity grid in that northern region has one of the highest carbon footprints in the world because almost all of the electricity generation comes from fossil fuel power plants. Nearly 90 % of the demand on that northern grid is from mining companies. Their operations' energy needs are high and constant - day and night, and as a result the mining companies will not assume the intermittency risk of renewable energy resources. Until now, solar and wind developers have only been able to offer intermittent solutions and, therefore, have been unable to sign major power purchase agreements.