On the chart thread, Chippie's suggestion about having pumped...

On the chart thread, Chippie's suggestion about having pumped hydro energy storage in high rise buildings was dismissed because of the need for massive hydro turbines.

Indeed they are massive, if you want to move the contents of a dam to a higher elevation.

However, that is not what was suggested.

The hydro turbines needed to supply water to higher levels in a building would be much smaller.

As it stands, water is already pumped from below ground level to all floors in high rise buildings for toilets, showers, sprinkler systems, etc.

The pumps  invariably depend on fossil fuel in one form or other, so there is an environmental cost.

If all, (or part) of the pumping could be powered by renewable energy, there would be an environmental and financial benefit.

Building a reservoir into the architecture of new high-rise buildings should be considered, this would have several benefits:

1.    Provide a store of water that could be used to extinguish fires.

2.   Serve as the upper reservoir for pumped hydro energy storage.