Author(s): Elina Lungrin; Oddgeir Andersen; Markus Majaneva; Frode Fossoy
Linked Author(s):
Keywords: No Keywords
Abstract: The change to renewable energy sources depends on intermittent sources like wind and solar energy. However, the intermittency of these sources challenges the stability of the power grid and energy storage systems are gaining relevance (Harby et al., 2013). Pumped-storage hydropower (PSH) is one of the most common energy storage systems and as of today the largest contributor to energy storage worldwide (Hunt et al., 2020). In PSH systems water is pumped from a lower altitude to a higher altitude reservoir and stored for later energy generation via conventional hydropower operations. Moving water against the natural flow direction entails several environmental challenges for the freshwater ecosystems involved. Stratification of temperature and oxygen can be shifted, nutrient levels can change, and species can be introduced to new environments (Bermúdez et al., 2018; Bonalumi et al., 2012; Buikema & Loeffelman, 1978; Cunha et al., 2011). Potential negative effects on biodiversity such as zooplankton and macroinvertebrates may emerge due to the changing physical and chemical properties of the ecosystems. At the same time species may be transported between reservoirs and thereby changing species composition (Kokavec et al., 2017; Potter & Meyer, 1982). Mapping shifts in biodiversity composition can be challenging due to costly and time-consuming sampling and morphological identification, especially when several species-rich taxonomic groups are of interest. Environmental-DNA (eDNA) samples can be a useful tool to overcome these challenges (Bruce et al., 2021).
Year: 2026