Compressed Air Energy Storage

Jacob Walker

July 17, 2012

Knoxville, Tennessee

My Goal

• To Expose people to Compressed Air Energy Storage(the new approach)

• How can this affect the power grid?• LIGHTSAIL ENERGY

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HISTORY

• Compressed Air systems have been around for a long time

• First compressed air storage plant in 1978 290 MW Huntorf plant in Germany

• 40% efficient

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Compressed Air Energy Storage

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LIGHTSAIL ENERGY

• Headed by Danielle Fong• Started as a group 3 scientists to a group of 30

scientists • The goal for LightSail is to provide grid-scale

storage as cost-effectively and efficiently as pumped hydro, but without the geographic restrictions.

• Lightsail’s goal is grid-storage but what’s possible with the technology right now is residential storage

• If residential areas did use compressed air energy storage then it would have an affect on the grid

• http://lightsailenergy.com/06-5

LIGHTSAIL ENERGY

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HOW DOES IT WORK

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Compressing air creates heat energy. Until now, this was wasted, drastically reducing efficiency(40% efficiency—old way). Lightsail’s innovation is they capture this heat energy and regenerate useful energy from it. They inject a fine, dense mist of water spray which rapidly absorbs heat energy of compression and provides it during expansion.

HOW DOES IT WORK CONT…

• Lightsail Energy

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Prototype

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2 Main Benefits

• Cheap Energy • Renewable Energy

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Cheap Energy

• Energy used at night is cheaper than energy used during peak hours

• Much of the energy generated at night is being lost

• Depending on the time

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Renewable Energy

• Real Life Examples

• Solar power is stored as compressed air at a Knoxville resident’s home

How Could this work Cont.

• Wind Power stored as Compressed Air• The amount of power would vary from

region to region but the same idea applies as the stored solar power

Unpredictability

• The renewables such as wind and solar are unpredictable energy sources

• Storage presents opportunity to neutralize unpredictability• When renewables are utilized in the power grid, they are impossible

to control.• This is a huge headache for power companies. • Storage can helps us to control the unpredictable renewables

energy sources such as wind, solar, etc… • Instead of having the renewables feed directly into the power

system, have them feed directly into storage. This keeps the power grid constant and reliable. If you feed renewables directly into the power. Due the reliability, you will lose money and energy

• This concept already exists with batteries in places such as EPRI. Just now we can apply it to compressed air storage.

• Can’t control REAL-TIME Energy

Unpredictability Cont.

• This concept already exists with batteries in places such as EPRI. Just now we can apply it to compressed air storage.

Cost & Worth

• One Unit’s projected cost for the fourth quarter of 2013 ----- $2000

• What is this worth?• The higher the price of energy in a certain

region, the more cost-effective for the initial purchase a unit

• Knoxville residents spend roughly $1200 yearly on electricity

Waste

• ZERO waste• No chemicals, no hazardous materials

like with batteries• WATER & AIR

Sources

• Lightenergy.com• Greentechmedia.com• Forbes.com• Wired.com

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