A safe, equitable, and environmentally sound way to store and integrate carbon free sources of electricity. Supporting Washington's efforts to meet its clean energy goals.
Combating Climate Change
The Goldendale Energy Storage Project is critical infrastructure for fighting climate change and maintaining grid reliability.
For much of our history, we have relied on fossil fuels to supply the electricity that we use to power our homes, schools and businesses. Fossil fuels emit greenhouse gasses that have made temperatures rise, causing an increase in droughts, floods, wildfires, and extreme heat and cold weather.
In an effort to avert the worst impacts of climate change, the world is making progress adding resources like wind and solar to the grid. The Goldendale Energy Storage Project is necessary infrastructure to enable utilities to add more renewable energy to the grid because it provides a way for them to store it for later use.
Thinking of the future
Generating carbon-free hydroelectricity without building new dams
"Closed-loop” systems such as the Goldendale Energy Storage Project do not involve the construction of a new dam on a river. Rather, they rely on the construction of two reservoirs—a lower one and an elevated one—that recirculate water.
In October 2020, a dozen stakeholders from the environmental nonprofit sector and the energy industry—including Rye Development, American Rivers, American Whitewater and more—signed a joint agreement to address climate change “by both advancing the renewable energy and storage benefits of hydropower and the environmental and economic benefits of healthy rivers.” The agreement specifically calls out closed-loop storage projects as part of the solution.
Protecting the Environment
Closed-loop pumped storage facilities have been used for a century and are widely recognized as part of the solution to climate change.
“Closed-loop” systems such as the Goldendale Energy Storage Project do not involve the construction of a new dam on a river. Rather, they rely on the construction of two reservoirs—a lower one and an elevated one—that recirculate water.
“Open-loop” pumped storage projects are continuously connected to a naturally-flowing water feature, such as a river, and can create aquatic and terrestrial impacts that closed-loop facilities do not.
The Goldendale Project completed environmental, engineering, and cultural studies to identify the solution with the least impact to natural systems, existing landowners, and environmental and cultural resources. The project design intentionally avoids traditional tribal fishing, hunting, and gathering locations. It does not disturb existing activities at Juniper Point or its south-facing slope. See Resources for all supporting documents.