The likelihood of a Norwegian Pumped-storage that can support intermittent Power dispatch from Solar and Wind

Master's thesis in Energy, Environment and SocietyFor Europe to achieve the targets to decarbonise the energy system, there is a need for a storage technology that can support intermittent power dispatch from solar and wind. Pumped-storage is a mature technology with high efficiency and abilities to store a large amount of energy. It has the capabilities to support intermittency by pumping water up to higher reservoirs and can create additional consumption in surplus periods of intermittent generation. This gives the opportunity to increase the European trade of electricity towards 2050. This thesis explores the likelihood of pumped-storage to be implemented in the Norwegian hydropower plants. In the power plants, the reservoirs have opportunities to store 85 TWh, which is 50 percent of the European storage capacity. This gives significant opportunities for Norway to support the European energy transition. However, there have been challenges in the implementation of technology in Norway. Therefore, the thesis is constructed around the following thesis statement: what is the feasibility for implementing a Norwegian pumped-storage, which can support intermittent power dispatch from increasing deployment of solar and wind technologies? The thesis aims to understand the feasibility seen from different Norwegian utilities since they are the actor most likely to implement the technology The thesis uses the multi-level perspective, triple embeddedness framework and the re-configuration pathway as a theoretical framework. This is used to understand the likelihood for a pumped-storage to be part of the Norwegian energy system and support intermittency in Europe and Norway. I have used a comparative case to investigate four utilities, which is located in the south of Norway. The utilities were investigated by exploring there perception and conditions needed before the technologies installation is feasible. The thesis has used a mixed method with both qualitative and quantitative data sources from interview, newspapers, webpages, scientific journals and reports The analysis provides evidence on the likelihood for a Norwegian pumped-storage to occur in the future. It gives evidence on the need for the technology by investigating a scenario towards 2050, where Germany is benefiting from a Norwegian pumped-storage. In addition, it identifies the driver and barriers for realising a future pumped-storage in Norway