Skip to content
Main Menu
  • Our Story
      • Background
      • The 100% renewable energy system
      • Our demo and ecosystem approach
      • The need for new technologies

      Our story

      We contribute to the challenge of integrating variable renewable energy sources by creating solutions, implementing new technologies and administering multi-technology system integration.

  • Our Solutions
      • For industry
      • For islands
      • For maritime
      • For ports

      Our solutions

      Our core capabilities in system integration and sector coupling are utilized in creating the multi-technology assets which enables islands and cities to transition to a renewable energy mix.

  • HOW WE WORK
      • Project developer
      • Spin out company incubator

      How we work

      Flexens is a project developer and investor focusing on the energy storage and demand response technologies needed to run a society on 100 % renewable energy.

  • News
  • Investors
      • Flexens as a company
      • Co-investment in our projects

      Investors

      We offer both opportunities for direct project investments as well as investment in the parent company. An investment in us or in our projects is an investment in the renewable energy transition.

  • People
      • The Team
      • The Board

      People

      Flexens' success is made possible through the collected know-how and experience of its team and board.

  • Resources
Search
Close
  • HOME
  • OUR STORY
    • Background
    • The 100% renewable energy system
    • Our demo and ecosystem approach
    • The need for new technologies
  • OUR SOLUTIONS
    • For Industry
    • For Islands
    • For Maritime
    • For Ports
  • HOW WE WORK
    • Project developer
    • Spin out company incubator
  • NEWS
  • INVESTORS
    • Flexens as a company
    • Co-investment in our projects
  • PEOPLE
    • The team
    • The board
  • RESOURCES
Menu
  • HOME
  • OUR STORY
    • Background
    • The 100% renewable energy system
    • Our demo and ecosystem approach
    • The need for new technologies
  • OUR SOLUTIONS
    • For Industry
    • For Islands
    • For Maritime
    • For Ports
  • HOW WE WORK
    • Project developer
    • Spin out company incubator
  • NEWS
  • INVESTORS
    • Flexens as a company
    • Co-investment in our projects
  • PEOPLE
    • The team
    • The board
  • RESOURCES
  • HOME
  • OUR STORY
    • Background
    • The 100% renewable energy system
    • Our demo and ecosystem approach
    • The need for new technologies
  • OUR SOLUTIONS
    • For Industry
    • For Islands
    • For Maritime
    • For Ports
  • HOW WE WORK
    • Project developer
    • Spin out company incubator
  • NEWS
  • INVESTORS
    • Flexens as a company
    • Co-investment in our projects
  • PEOPLE
    • The team
    • The board
  • RESOURCES

Hydro power as underground batteries

  • published July 10, 2019

In late June, Flexens CEO Berndt Schalin, was invited to participate in a panel discussion at the Politician’s Week at Almedalen, Sweden, regarding local storing solutions of renewable energy. The panel discussion host, Pumped Hydro Storage, is a new and promising tech company in Sweden, specializing in hydroelectric pumped-hydro storage.

Using old mine shafts, Pumped Hydro Storage uses excess renewable energy from e.g. solar or wind power to pump water from the lower parts of the mine. The process can then be reversed when sun or wind conditions are lower, creating an underground water battery with energy potential by letting the water flow through turbines, generating electricity.

Storage of energy is a major challenge in creating a stable energy grid, one where lithium ion batteries will not be the sole answer to the problem. Kinetic potential storage is of great interest for the futures smart energy grid and companies like Pumped Hydro Storage is one of many that can be seen in the horizon.

The following article is from Dagens Industri that covered the panel discussion. Original article in Swedish found here.

It was early Wednesday morning, when the days’ discussions on the Swedish energy market took off on the DI’s stage in Almedalen. The challenges in energy storage at local level was the first topic to be discussed.

“Energy is always produced locally, so why should we not be able to store it locally?” asked Jan Lundberg, chairman at Pumped Hydro Storage.

This year’s edition of Di’s and Energy Market’s event The Energy Day, began with the issue on energy storage at local level and its role in the futures electricity grid. Challenges lie in the difficulties to obtain a steady energy supply from solar, wind and hydro power, therefore energy storage solutions are needed.

The tech company, Pumped Hydro Storage, develops a renewable energy technology that generates electricity by pumping water between different shaft levels in old mines. This enables the possibility to create renewable energy even when the wind is not blowing or the sun is shining.

Both the company’s chairman Jan Lundberg and CEO Otto Werneskog highlight the advantages of building this type of energy storage.

 “Expansion of the electricity network costs a lot and takes a long time. A lack of transmission capacity is usually the biggest problem. This can be avoided if energy storage possibilities is built, ” says Otto Werneskog.

Smart Energy Åland is an ongoing project run by Flexens Oy Ab, that is looking to ensure that the Finnish archipelago goes fossil-free and, as far as possible, becomes a self-sufficient energy system. Project manager and CEO Berndt Schalin told us that he believes that a decentralized electricity production will become more common in the future.

“The ability to buy and sell electricity will always remain. The electricity grid will always remain, but storage will be a component, ” says Berndt Schalin, CEO at Flexens Oy Ab.

The largest challenge lies in gaining profitability in local energy storage.

“We must create the local market mechanisms that make it attractive to conduct energy storage in a small-scale environment,” says Berndt Schalin.

Attending the seminar was also Christopher Engman, former marketing manager at Climeon, now a  member of the board at Pumped Hydro Storage.

WANT TO SHARE?
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
News

Lhyfe becomes the major shareholder in Finnish project developer Flexens to accelerate renewable and green hydrogen together

Lhyfe (EURONEXT: LHYFE), one of the world’s pioneers in the production of green and renewable hydrogen that can decarbonise industry and mobility, has announced that …

2023-03-21
News

Flexens successfully exits its spin-off – Norwegian Hydrogen acquires HydRe

A year ago, Flexens Oy Ab celebrated the launch of their spin-off HydRe, a startup aiming to build a hydrogen refuelling station network in Northern …

2023-02-03
News

Flexens spin-off HydRe receives an 800,000 euro investment grant from the Finnish Energy Authority to build Finland’s first hydrogen refuelling station in Lieto

HydRe was founded at the beginning of 2022 as a Flexens spin-off company to develop a network of hydrogen refuelling stations for heavy transport in …

2023-01-11
News

Finland’s largest hydrogen plant planned in Kokkola

Project developer Flexens Oy Ab and KIP Infra Oy, part of Kokkola city council, have signed a letter of intent regarding a land lease agreement …

2022-11-15
News

Flexens and HydRe collaborate to launch hydrogen transport in Finland: Letter of intent signed with Lempäälän Energia

The Finnish companies Flexens and HydRe are preparing to pilot green hydrogen in Lempäälä, Finland. Flexens plans a small-scale green hydrogen production unit to be …

2022-10-03

The ideal partner for communities, asset owners, investors, commercial and industrial clients seeking a project initiator, developer and co-investor with unique capabilities in renewable energy solutions.

HELSINKI OFFICE

Eteläranta 10

FIN-00120 HELSINKI

ÅLAND OFFICE

Itiden, Elverksgatan 10

AX-22100 MARIEHAMN

OUR STORY

  • Background
  • The 100% renewable energy system
  • The demo and ecosystem approach
  • The need new for technologies

OUR SOLUTIONS

  • For islands
  • For industry
  • For ports
  • For maritime

NEWS

  • News
  • Resources

HOW WE WORK

  • Project developer
  • Spin out company incubator

INVESTORS

  • Flexens as a company
  • Co-investment in our projects

PEOPLE

  • The team
  • The board

Subscribe to our newsletter

By subscribing to our newsletter, you grant us permission to store your contact information in accordance with the Generel Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and our Privacy Policy.

Copyright © 2023 Flexens Oy Ab.

Web Agency: April Kommunikation | Web Hosting: iWebben.fi

Facebook-f Twitter Linkedin-in
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept All”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent.
Cookie SettingsAccept All
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT
  • HOME
  • OUR STORY
    • Background
    • The 100% renewable energy system
    • Our demo and ecosystem approach
    • The need for new technologies
  • OUR SOLUTIONS
    • For Industry
    • For Islands
    • For Maritime
    • For Ports
  • HOW WE WORK
    • Project developer
    • Spin out company incubator
  • NEWS
  • INVESTORS
    • Flexens as a company
    • Co-investment in our projects
  • PEOPLE
    • The team
    • The board
  • RESOURCES
Search