The Stream, May 1: Storing Energy and Water

Water and Energy Storage
In a column for Reuters, market analyst Gerard Wynn discusses the potential growth of hydropower pumping stations for storing energy and balancing electrical grids. The stations can use energy from intermittent sources such as wind and solar to pump water to higher elevations, releasing it at a later time to generate electricity—effectively storing the energy.

Meanwhile, cities are increasingly considering the use of underground reservoirs for storing water, The New York Times reported. Experts say this practice can help guard against evaporation and reduces the need to dam and flood large areas of land.

Mining
Peru is considering at least a partial rollback of its prior consultation law, which requires resource extraction companies to consult with indigenous communities before developing projects on their lands, according to Reuters. The changes could exempt Quechua-speaking communities in the Andes from the law’s protections due to disagreement about whether or not they are indigenous. Tensions between the government, indigenous communities, and mining companies in Peru often involve water resources.

The reopening of a uranium mine near the Grand Canyon’s South Rim has been federally approved, but the project faces opposition from critics who say the mine’s 1986 environmental assessment is outdated, the Guardian reported. Opponents have also raised concerns about possible contamination of the Red Wall aquifer.

The Stream is a daily digest spotting global water trends. To get more water news, follow Circle of Blue on Twitter and sign up for our newsletter.

Codi Kozacek

A news correspondent for Circle of Blue based out of Hawaii. She writes The Stream, Circle of Blue’s daily digest of international water news trends. Her interests include food security, ecology and the Great Lakes.
Contact Codi Kozacek