How to Store Renewable Energy?

One of the issues facing suppliers of renewable energy is how to store energy, and switch it on and off at will.  The energy is not always generated at the most profitable times.

For example, electricty that is generated from wind has to be supplied to the grid, no matter what the demand, and no matter what the price of electricity is at the time.  If the energy that was generated in off peak periods could be stored and then released when the price is many times higher the wind farm would be much more profitable.

The solution is to compress air, and store it in large tanks.  In peak periods, the compressed air is used to run air motors or air turbines to power an alternator.  In off peak periods, simply turn off the air.  Even though there is a loss in efficiency, the price per unit of energy sold will be many times higher. 

This idea is called Compressed Air Energy Storage (CAES) and is applicable to any form of energy that is produced in off peak times - eg. wind, wave, tidal etc.

This idea has even been used in Germany to compress air into large underground caves, using low cost off peak electricy and then using the compressed air to generate peak load electricity.



We are interested in talking to you about vane motor or turbine solutions that are upto 65% efficient and will make your renewable energy solution more profitable.  Please contact our Product Manager Paul DeRossi on (+61) 0418 699 884 or on sales@assemblytech.com.au