ALPHEUS: Augmenting Grid Stability Through Low Head Pumped Hydro Energy Utilization and Storage

ALPHEUS is a €5m project funded by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 program. In this post we explain the aims of ALPHEUS and each of the engineering components. Renewable energy, especially wind and solar, is essential for our global efforts to decarbonize and slow the rate of global warming. However, the current electricity grid is unable […]

NEW PUBLICATION: An Experimental and Numerical Study of a Three Lobe Pump for Pumped Hydro Storage Applications

Pumped hydro storage (PHS) plays an important role as a matured technology that accounts for the vast majority of global energy storage capacity, and its expansion is therefore desirable. The expansion of PHS in mid- and high-water heads is limited to topographic features, but there is an untapped potential in low-head applications. For most of […]

NEW PUBLICATION: Optimization of Pumped Hydro Energy Storage Design and Operation for Offshore Low-Head Application and Grid Stabilization

The increasing share of renewable energy sources in the global electricity generation defines the need for effective and flexible energy storage solutions. PHES with their technically matured plant design and wide economical potential can generally match those needs. But especially for lowland countries, where low-head PHES applications are needed, the current turbomachinery technologies offer no […]

Grid-scale pumped hydro energy storage for the low countries

Penetration of intermittent renewable energy sources into the power grid requires large-scale energy storage to ensure grid stability. Pumped Hydro Energy Storage (PHES) is among the most mature, environmentally friendly, and economical energy storage technologies, but has traditionally only been feasible at sites with large natural topographic gradients. ALPHEUS addresses this by developing reversible pump-turbines […]

Dry emulation test-setup at Ghent University

In WP3, the Power Take-Off and Machine-Side Control (MSC) are studied and designed. An important asset to validate the Machine-Side Control is the dry emulation test-setup, developed at Ghent University. This update includes pictures of the virtual design, as well as a first look at the setup in action.  To validate the Machine-Side Control (MSC) […]

Axial-Flux PMSMs: Detailed 50 kW design

In the ALPHEUS project, the efficiency of the full system is important. Therefore, in WP3, Axial-Flux Permanent Magnet Synchronous Machines (AF-PMSMs) is designed for the full 10 MW design. To validate this design, two ~33 kW AF-PMSMs are designed and developed at Ghent University. Axial-Flux PMSMs (AF-PMSMs) have a high efficiency, power density and high […]

New Publication: Axial Flux PMSM Power Take-Off a Rim-Driven Contra-Rotating Pump-Turbine

Pumped hydropower storage (PHS) is a costeffective and mature energy storage technology. However, it has inherently been limited to locations with suitable topographies. Therefore, the ALPHEUS project aims to implement PHS for shallow seas and coastal environments with the goal to support grid stability. To ensure optimal efficiency and fast switching times in these low-head […]

ALPHEUS Newsletter 2022 is now available!

ALPHEUS Newsletter 2022 is now available!

It is my pleasure to introduce the second Newsletter of the ALPHEUS research project to you. With the so-called “Green Deal” the EU adopted quite ambitious targets of climate neutrality in Europe by 2050 and a reduction of net greenhouse gas emissions of at least 55% by 2030, compared to 1990 levels. ALPHEUS Newsletter 2022Download […]

Power Take-Off for a Shaft-Driven Countra-Rotating Reversible Pump-Turbine

In WP3, the Power Take-Off (PTO) and Machine-Side Control (MSC) are studied and designed. One outcome of task 3.4 was the virtual design of the PTO for the 10 MW shaft-driven contra-rotating RPT.  For this dual drivetrain PTO, where both runners are coupled to separate Axial-Flux PMSMs, many different configurations are possible and are discussed […]

The ALPHEUS Team Analyzed Stakeholders Concerns Regarding the Low-Head PHS Technology

The ALPHEUS Team Analyzed Stakeholders Concerns Regarding the Low-Head PHS Technology

Within the WP5, ALPHEUS will propose adequate locations for the construction of low-head pumped hydro storage (PHS) stations in the North Sea. Current methods for location selection of large civil structures consider technical and environmental aspects. However, the implementation of large civil structures can face opposition from the public, which in turn, can deal to […]

Dry Emulation Test-Setup at Ghent University

Dry Emulation Test-Setup at Ghent University

In WP3, the Power Take-Off and Machine-Side Control (MSC) are studied and designed. An important asset to validate the Machine-Side Control is the dry emulation test-setup, developed at Ghent University. In the ALPHEUS project, three dual drivetrain Reversible Pump-Turbines (RPT) are developed. Each RPT runner is coupled to a separate Axial-Flux PMSM. The Machine-Side Control […]