Benefits of Aquabank™
Underground alternative power generation produces substantive economic development benefits including a valuable source of new employment, significant improvements in transmission system performance and reliability. It also facilitates State and Provincial governments to meet and possibly exceed their respective renewable portfolio standards by enabling the development of additional renewable energy.
Some specific benefits provided by Aquabank™ include:
- Alternative to fossil peaking generation
- Enabler of additional renewable generation - a battery for wind
- Affordable, reliable energy
- Sustainable development for each 1,000 MW project
- $2 billion new direct investment into a local and regional economy,
- 1000+ jobs during a four-year construction period,
- 50-75 full time direct and indirect jobs after commissioning.
- Avoids environmental pitfalls of other forms of renewable energy such as flooding, visual impact and soil degradation;
- Increased transmission system performance and reliability
- Additional peaking capacity to meet increasing demand
- Improved black start capability
- Improved thermal plant efficiency by reduced operation in inefficient rapid response mode
- Highest operating efficiency of all known generation systems (Voith Siemens)
- Not dependent on gas-fired generation and its attendant gas price volatility – most new capacity built in the last 15 years is gas-fired
- Reduced thermal generation reserve requirement
- Reduced volatility of electricity prices, added balance to existing load disparities in local market area, and
- Clean with zero emissions.