Madam, - In the coming review of the planning requirements for wind energy development in Ireland (The Irish Times, August 5th) the Government should ask it's experts to examine the ESB's success with pump storage generation.
The ESB is using off-peak electricity to pump water from Lough na Hanagan to a man-made reservoir hundreds of feet above the lake, on Turlough Hill, Co Wicklow. This water is later released back into the lake via a hydro-generator at peak hours when main supplies are under pressure.
If the ESB can boost the value of it's own electricity by storing its energy in a water reservoir, until most needed, then why not do likewise with wind generated electricy?
Imagine the added value wind-generated electricity would acquire if fed into a second reservoir at Turlough Hill and added to the existing supply when generating at peak time.
Combining wind and pump storage would require the siting of wind turbines on solid rock close to a small lake from which water would be pumped to a manmade reservoir at higher altitude.
Countries such as Denmark and Holland lack sites much above sea level and therefore could not adopt this option. - Yours, etc.,
T. MAC GIOLLA RIOGH, Foxrock Park, Dublin 18.