Project 2025 and Conservation

[BigHornRam]

One appealing renewable project is the Gordon Butte Pumped Storage Hydro system in central Montana, which consists of an upper reservoir on the butte with hydro turbines and a lower catch reservoir below, with a wind generated pump system to renew the hydro potential continuously for the upper reservoir in a closed loop configuration, with no impact to other steams or watersheds. 'Don't think it incorporates any solar, but potentially could.

Has permits but not being developed at this time.

Project Overview — Gordon Butte Energy Park

Montana based, Absaroka Energy, LLC is developing the Gordon Butte Pumped Storage Hydro Project. The project will be located on private land in Meagher County, Montana, three miles west of the small town of Martinsdale. Our project is designed to take advantage of the unique geological features of G

www.gordonbuttepumpedstorage.com

 

[Straight Arrow]

Has permits but not being developed at this time.

Project Overview — Gordon Butte Energy Park

Montana based, Absaroka Energy, LLC is developing the Gordon Butte Pumped Storage Hydro Project. The project will be located on private land in Meagher County, Montana, three miles west of the small town of Martinsdale. Our project is designed to take advantage of the unique geological features of G

www.gordonbuttepumpedstorage.com

It takes finances, red tape patient process, and time. 'Does not mean it is not a good plan and viable.

BHR, I'm never sure if your post is negative or positive. ??? I do value your learned opinion ... even moreso than your never-ending links to someone else's written work.

 

[mevertsen]

Has permits but not being developed at this time.

Project Overview — Gordon Butte Energy Park

Montana based, Absaroka Energy, LLC is developing the Gordon Butte Pumped Storage Hydro Project. The project will be located on private land in Meagher County, Montana, three miles west of the small town of Martinsdale. Our project is designed to take advantage of the unique geological features of G

www.gordonbuttepumpedstorage.com

That's interesting.

 

[SAJ-99]

Has permits but not being developed at this time.

Project Overview — Gordon Butte Energy Park

Montana based, Absaroka Energy, LLC is developing the Gordon Butte Pumped Storage Hydro Project. The project will be located on private land in Meagher County, Montana, three miles west of the small town of Martinsdale. Our project is designed to take advantage of the unique geological features of G

www.gordonbuttepumpedstorage.com

There are others in operation. The concept isn't new. I would guess it is a regulatory issue.

https://www.energy.gov/eere/water/pumped-storage-hydropower

 

[BigHornRam]

There are others in operation. The concept isn't new. I would guess it is a regulatory issue.

https://www.energy.gov/eere/water/pumped-storage-hydropower

Funding issue would be my guess.

 

[BigHornRam]

It takes finances, red tape patient process, and time. 'Does not mean it is not a good plan and viable.

BHR, I'm never sure if your post is negative or positive. ??? I do value your learned opinion ... even moreso than your never-ending links to someone else's written work.

The idea is to use electricity to pump water up a mountain. Then send it back down the mountain to generate electricity. Then pump it back up the mountain. It is basically a very expensive battery. Who is going to fund this?

 

[Straight Arrow]

The concept is understood, thank-you. It was your opinion to which I wrote.

To be funded by some very wealthy benefactors / investors. 'Agree it could be a funding snag holding up progress today. Time will tell.

 

[SAJ-99]

Funding issue would be my guess.

Who is going to fund this?

The answer to the second question is a venture cap firm Denmark-based Copenhagen Energy Partners. Project parent (Absaroka Energy) raised $1B five years ago. I doubt they have burned through that $1b already. Commencement on this project isn't expected until 2029. The WY project shows a start date of 2026.

There are already a few pumped storage projects in service right now. I kind of had the same reaction as BHR, but it is apparently more complicated than what we see in our imagination. The project in VA allows coal and nat gas plants to run at peak efficiency and when there is excess electric they pump the water to storage where it is held to balance the future load. Even with a 25% loss of efficiency, it allows the plants to run at a lower total operating cost.

 

[Forkyfinder]

The idea is to use electricity to pump water up a mountain. Then send it back down the mountain to generate electricity. Then pump it back up the mountain. It is basically a very expensive battery. Who is going to fund this?

The business? Power on the transmission market doesnt have a fixed price. So its logical/possible to use .02 kwh power to pump it and .10 kwh power to resell.

The grid now has variable generation (via renewables) and variable demand... so theres more financial incentive for batteries than previously existed

 

[Bonasababy]

Some of you likely know a lot more about it than I do, but wasn't there a pumped storage operation set up many years ago near Georgetown CO? Seem to recall Xcel talking about their involvement in that.

Xcel is moving into renewable energy in a big way,as they retire coal plants. The operation in MN is replacing a coal plant, they have one near Pueblo I heard they were doing similar things with.

 

[Bonasababy]

Found some recent xcel discussion about the georgetown system.

Our Cabin Creek hydroelectric plant was the highest altitude pumped storage plant in the world when it was built in 1967 above Georgetown, Colorado, in the Rocky Mountains.

Water is released from Cabin Creek’s upper reservoir to turn the plant’s two turbine generators and produce electricity. After, the water is returned to a lower reservoir where it is pumped and stored in an upper reservoir to start the generation process all over again when needed. Cabin Creek can be brought online within 10 minutes to respond to increased customer demand, quicker than any other plant on our system.

Rather than retire the plant, we’ve renewed Cabin Creek’s operating license, extending its service life by 40 years, and we’re completing a project to increase the plant’s generating capacity and storage efficiency. When finished at the end of the year, the operating extension and expansion is expected to save more than $300 million compared to retiring and replacing the plant. Plus, Cabin Creek will continue as an important companion to our growing fleet of wind farms by pumping water when wind energy is plentiful and quickly responding to fill the gap when the wind stops blowing.

 

[SD_Prairie_Goat]

Some of you likely know a lot more about it than I do, but wasn't there a pumped storage operation set up many years ago near Georgetown CO? Seem to recall Xcel talking about their involvement in that.

Xcel is moving into renewable energy in a big way,as they retire coal plants. The operation in MN is replacing a coal plant, they have one near Pueblo I heard they were doing similar things with.

There's been a number of them. The biggest drawback has always been getting the correct geography to make it function, aka a mountain with a reservoir.

Just a big ole water battery. Pump on the cheap, generate when expensive

 

[BigHornRam]

The answer to the second question is a venture cap firm Denmark-based Copenhagen Energy Partners. Project parent (Absaroka Energy) raised $1B five years ago. I doubt they have burned through that $1b already. Commencement on this project isn't expected until 2029. The WY project shows a start date of 2026.

Inflated construction costs have most likely turned the ROI on it's head.

 

[whatnot]

"... he talks non stop about his stock portfolio ..." 17,000 posts about his stock porfolio ... I think NOT, whatnot.
Just cite three examples ... or credibility is what? ... if NOT!

First, quote me correctly, "commenting on ever forum....."


Others might be surprised at how Buzz doesn't do things for personal gain, as again in his daily comenting on every forum(except Rokslide for some reason) he talks non stop about his stock portfolio and his personal gains. Again, thise that read Buzz here, I'm sure are shocked to read such things, but desperately trying to impress his betters have caused multiple personality disorder I suppose.



Next, do your own damn homework before you mouth off. I feel my credibility is ok now, or do you need more?

Perhaps in the fan club you're not aware, but Ole boy changes personalities depending on audience.

 

[noharleyyet]

First, quote me correctly, "commenting on ever forum....."


Others might be surprised at how Buzz doesn't do things for personal gain, as again in his daily comenting on every forum(except Rokslide for some reason) he talks non stop about his stock portfolio and his personal gains. Again, thise that read Buzz here, I'm sure are shocked to read such things, but desperately trying to impress his betters have caused multiple personality disorder I suppose.



Next, do your own damn homework before you mouth off. I feel my credibility is ok now, or do you need more?

Perhaps in the fan club you're not aware, but Ole boy changes personalities depending on audience.

I don't think those screenshots mean what you think they mean...

 

[SAJ-99]

Inflated construction costs have most likely turned the ROI on it's head.

Oh for sure. Montana economy is booming. But Colstrip closes in what, 2030? Montana can address the problem then when they flip the switch and the lights don't go on, or they can plan ahead and address it now. Inputs to ROI are always flexible.

 

[BigHornRam]

I don't think those screenshots mean what you think they mean...

Looks the usual abrasive Buzz to me.

 

[Oak]

Somehow relevant to this conversation.

https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/4786727-manchin-barrasso-permitting-reform-deal/

 

[whatnot]

I don't think those screenshots mean what you think they mean...

So to keep up, it's not that what I said was true, it's now I just don't understand Buzz "genius"

Yup. He's playing 4d chess while everyone else is playing checkers.

Or, perhaps, what I said was true.

 

[BigHornRam]

So to keep up, it's not that what I said was true, it's now I just don't understand Buzz "genius"

Yup. He's playing 4d chess while everyone else is playing checkers.

Or, perhaps, what I said was true.

No. Buzz just likes to channel his inner Jose. How many sites does he mouth off on? Sounds like an internet addiction problem to me.