Electricity Storage - A Dream That's Coming True — SiteNet Future Studies - by McKinley Conway
Today, there are fabulous opportunities just ahead. These tantalizing incentives are producing a boom in launching new ventures and expanding existing industries related to electricity storage. Established firms such as battery manufacturers are investing heavily in research. Scores of start-ups are attracting millions of dollars in venture capital in order to pursue new types of fuel cells and other ideas flowing from research labs. Here's a quick look at the state of the art:
Large systems
The leading form of grid-energy storage today is pumped-water storage. At many locations around the world a substantial part of the energy that drives hydroelectric power plants is water pumped from a low level up to a high reservoir during the time when most customers are sleeping. The system uses cheap off-peak electric power to run the pumps. Then, during periods of peak power demand, the water is released to flow through generator turbines, enabling the utility to maximize power at times that it charges higher rates.
New solar energy mirror farms are managing to store substantial amounts of electrical energy for several hours using molten salt mixtures. During the day, mirrors direct sun to heat salt mixtures to several hundred degrees. Then the hot mix is pumped into an insulated tank and held for use at night. One developer claims to be able to store a day's solar harvest for about 20 hours.
More recently, compressed air energy storage (CAES) systems are being developed for wind farms and other intermittent sources. Power produced during periods of strong winds is used to compress air and store it in underground geologic structures.
E
ver since the discovery of the light bulb, those seeking the full benefits of electricity have been frustrated by the lack of storage capability. For decades mankind has extended wires from distant generators or used batteries of very limited capacity. The pressure has built, and the prize has gotten larger for those who can develop systems that store electricity for long times in great amounts. Today, there are fabulous opportunities just ahead. These tantalizing incentives are producing a boom in launching new ventures and expanding existing industries related to electricity storage. Established firms such as battery manufacturers are investing heavily in research. Scores of start-ups are attracting millions of dollars in venture capital in order to pursue new types of fuel cells and other ideas flowing from research labs. Here's a quick look at the state of the art:
Large systems
New solar energy mirror farms are managing to store substantial amounts of electrical energy for several hours using molten salt mixtures. During the day, mirrors direct sun to heat salt mixtures to several hundred degrees. Then the hot mix is pumped into an insulated tank and held for use at night. One developer claims to be able to store a day's solar harvest for about 20 hours.
More recently, compressed air energy storage (CAES) systems are being developed for wind farms and other intermittent sources. Power produced during periods of strong winds is used to compress air and store it in underground geologic structures.
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