Title: ENERGY STORAGE TO FACILITATE MORE EFFICIENT USE OF ELECTRIC POWER GENERATED THROUGH RENEWABLE MEANS
Abstract: Two examples of generation of utility-scale electric power using renewable means are wind turbines and solar energy farms. Both of these means of generating power are intermittent. There are times when the wind is not blowing suf ficiently strongly, or too strongly, and times when the sun is not shining. These times recur on diurnal, seasonal, and annual cycles. Management of the power distribution grid with distributed intermittent sources of power will be easier if storage of energy is possible. This way energy can be generated using renewable means any time it is possible, even if it is not needed at the time, and then stored for future use. Two scenarios for storing energy in deep underground cavities are investigated. The scenarios are based on use of abandoned drifts at the 6800 ft depth level in the former Homestake Gold Mine in Lead, South Dakota, recently re-designated as the Sanford Laboratory at Homestake. One scenario involves using the drifts to store energy in the form of compressed air. The other involves energy storage in the form of hot water. For this situation, much more energy can be stored in the same volume in the form of hot water than in the form of compressed air. Calculations of storage and retrieval of energy using abandoned drifts at one level in the former mine suggest that enough energy could be stored there in the form of compressed air to supply power at the rate of 100 MW for roughly an hour. Although storage in the form of hot water is very efficient for space heating, conversion of this thermal energy into electrical energy reduces overall efficiency in use of the energy. The energy that can be stored in the form of hot water would be sufficient to generate electric power at the rate of 100 MW for about 2 days. Given the high density of energy storage in deep underground hot water, it may be practical to implement underground hot water storage in many localities even if new excavation is required.
Publication Year: 2008
Publication Date: 2008-01-01
Language: en
Type: article
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