IRENA Electricity Storage Workshop This Week
IRENA, the International Renewable Energy Agency, has an electricity storage workshop scheduled in Dusseldorf (Germany) this Thursday, March 27. Here are some more details, via IRENA:
The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) will hold a policy and regulation workshop on energy storage in Dusseldorf, Germany, on 27 March. This takes place alongside Energy Storage Europe 2014, the third annual International Conference and Exhibition for the Storage of Renewable Energies (25-27 March, Dusseldorf).
The workshop focuses on key energy storage technologies and applications to support the accelerated deployment of renewable energy, as well as to identify applications, best practices and lessons that should be highlighted in IRENA’s global technology roadmap for electricity storage. Participants will include policy makers, industry representatives, academics and other relevant stakeholders. The workshop will be limited to around 50 people.
The agenda of the workshop can be viewed here.
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Electric storage is the golden ticket of renewable energy. I seem to think of pumped storage first. It’s super simple and it works, assuming the topography is right. And of course there’s water.
I was introduced to pumped storage as a kid in the 1970s. A Michigan utility built the Ludington Pumped storage facility next to Lake Michigan. Basically it’s a reservoir at an elevation roughly 100 feet above Lake Michigan. When there’s excess power being produced, lake water is pumped up. When there’s a deficit of electricity, water flows down. Pumps are designed as both pumps and generators.
Obviously, other areas of the world have greater elevation potential and precipitation. Switzerland and other Alpine countries of Europe could become the electric pumped storage for Europe. Apparently, only 4 percent of electricity generated from Switzerland’s hydro is from pumped storage.
http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/science_technology/Swiss_Alps_proposed_as_powerhouse_of_Europe.html?cid=32762310
Alpine glaciers are melting very rapidly in Europe. Mountain rain and meltwater should be harnessed as prudently as possible. Obviously, a backup plan would be necessary for times of drought.
Energy storage is rapidly being refined a 3rd Genesis Bio-Battery ( http://www.google.com/patents/WO2013116950A1#! )
home is going up in Regina,Saskatchewan Canada with the first responsive basement completed yesterday by the end of the year the goal is to have at least 1 in each province then spread form there. They are a Low income initiative so cost of home is less than conventional but also they are NEB (No Energy Bill) so the savings on utilities also adds to the affordability. They are working on a DYI system for Totem which will expidite adoption across North America & into Europe.
With the previous homes converting 27 tonnes of CO2 annually and reducing curbside waste by 93% for a family of 4 not to mention lowering cost of living expenses greatly adoption from people attending open houses has been exceeding 1200 requests per home.