Hybrid renewable pumped storage hydropower energy storage system

A pumped storage hydroelectric system comprising:

• (a) a reservoir system comprising an upper reservoir system and a lower reservoir system, at least one of the upper reservoir system and the lower reservoir system including a modular reservoir arrangement, wherein the modular reservoir arrangement comprises an array of modular tanks, the array of modular tanks comprising a plurality of modular tanks;
• (b) a penstock coupled with the upper reservoir system;
• (c) a pump/turbine coupled with the penstock and with the lower reservoir system, the pump/turbine configured to receive water flowing from the upper reservoir system to the lower reservoir system for generating electrical power, and pump water from the lower reservoir system to the upper reservoir system for storing energy;
• and
• (d) a flow control system comprising a controller, a first fluid conductor fluidly connecting the penstock at a first location of the penstock to the upper reservoir system, a second fluid conductor fluidly connecting the penstock at a second location of the penstock to the lower reservoir system, a first valve interposed in the first fluid conductor, a second valve interposed in the second fluid conductor, the controller is configured to detect a first pressure indicated by a first pressure sensor at a first pressure sensor location of the penstock, the first valve, the second valve and the first pressure sensor are functionally connected to the controller, the first location of the penstock and the first pressure sensor location of the penstock are both uphill of the location of a control valve disposed to control a fluid flow through the penstock, the controller is further configured to control the first valve and the second valve in response to a pressure event based on at least one of the first pressure and a time derivative of the first pressure, in a response.