Cheap working fluids do not make cheap electricity storage. Compression, thermal management, containment and expansion turn apparently simple gas storage into process infrastructure.
Two years ago I called compressed-gas electricity-storage claims mostly hot air. Since then the sector has produced exactly the sort of evidence that should force a reassessment rather than a repetition of the old argument. China has commissioned the 600 MW / 2.4 GWh Huai’an compressed-air demonstration, Hydrostor has pushed … [continued]
For the same 25 MW / 100 MWh four-hour service, Energy Vault’s Rudong project requires far more capital, land, machinery and construction carbon than a contemporary Chinese BESS.
Energy Vault’s Rudong gravity-storage project is a particularly useful technology test because it removes many of the excuses that can surround a first-of-kind energy project. It was built in China, with deep domestic supply chains for concrete, steel, motors, power electronics and industrial construction. It had government support, grid coordination … [continued]
Climate-tech claims need to be tested against comparators, customers, costs, and repeat procurement, not just announcements and pilots.
Energy transition analysis is littered with evidence that is real and stories that are not. A pilot exists, therefore the market is forming. A government grant lands, therefore the technology has been validated. An offtake agreement appears, therefore customers must be willing to pay. A large company issues a press … [continued]
A recent online discussion on gravity storage brought the usual suspects out of the woodwork. Proponents of heavy fluid pumped hydro reared their sludgy heads this time. Follow along for why this is a silly idea, as all gravity storage options that aren’t pushing water uphill turn out to be. … [continued]
Under the auspices of the India Smart Grid Forum, the think tank founded as an umbrella organization over India’s 28 state utilities to provide thought leadership, share leading practices, and bring international insights to India, I’m delivering bi-weekly webinars framed by the Short List of Climate Actions That Will Work. With the … [continued]
ChatGPT & DALL-E generated panoramic image of a hot air balloon tethered to the ground by an electricity cable covered in sparks
Three years ago, I published my projection of grid storage demand and solutions through 2060. At the time, various compressed gas electricity storage solutions such as compressed air, liquid air, and liquid carbon dioxide were in my also-ran technologies. My review of the literature over the preceding years had made … [continued]
It’s getting windy in the small country of Denmark. Or rather, massive amounts of electricity from wind will come from the shallow waters around the country and hit the shores for the country to use, and to sell to the rest of Europe. The Danish government has agreed on a … [continued]
Rick Perry, the former Governor of Texas and former Secretary of the Department of Energy, told Fox News in an interview that we need base load power. He believes we need base load power because it is what we use when we turn a light on at 2:00 in the … [continued]
Wärtsilä is a 180-year old company that pivoted through technology changes leading to engines for marine power and electricity, and is now a storage leader.
Economics are driving Northern Indiana Public Service to do what the Clean Power Plan could not — shutter one of the dirtiest coal generating stations in America.
