More on Compressed Air Energy Storage

History of Compressed Air Energy Storage

CAES was originally established at a plant in Huntorf, Germany in 1978. The plant is still operational today, and has a capacity of 290 MW. The compressed air is stored in underground in retired salt mines and used to supplement the energy grid during peak usage. The only other large scale CAES plant in the world was established in 1991 in McIntosh, Alabama. This system also uses underground salt caverns for compressed air storage, and has a capacity of 110 MW.

Although excavated salt mining caverns are not readily available in all geographic locations, recent research has shown that other formations of porous and permeable rock may serve the same purpose. Scientists hope to expand the use of CAES from load-shifting to a more active source of large-scale clean energy production. In addition, engineers are already working on technology to expand the use of CAES for small-scale, off-grid operations.

How Does Compressed Air Energy Storage Work?

The CAES process is relatively simple, though it requires highly specialized equipment. Electricity from the public electrical grid or renewable power sources is used to power a compressor, which pumps air into a storage container. For large scale power storage, the pressurized air is stored in underground caverns, but small scale operations may store compressed air in specialized storage tanks. When electricity is needed, the compressed air is released from the holding tank and heated using either stored heat from the compression process or heat generated from burning fossil fuels. The compressed air expands quickly, passing through the turbine to generate electricity.

The amount of energy held by the compressed air is based on the density of the air. The cavern or storage tank must therefore be capable of withstanding the extreme pressure and air density. For this reason, strong and durable carbon fiber is typically used to store compressed air in small scale CAES operations.

Compressed Energy Storage Solutions From Compressed Air Systems

Compressed Air Systems offers a range of air compressors and storage systems to meet your operational needs. Adequately sized compressed air storage tanks can offer low-cost energy production without the need to operate another compressor. To learn more about our compressed air energy storage solutions, please contact us today.