Basically, using cold storage warehouses to buffer variable windpower. While I disagree with their use of the term energy storage, it makes sense. Basically when there is a windpower surplus, the cold storage facilities cool to 1C lower than their normal temperature and when there isn't a surplus of windpower, allows the temp to drift up 1C higher before turning on the refrigeration. This nets a significant savings of hydrocarbon generated power.

http://www.nature.com/news/2007/0702.../070205-9.html

I could imagine devices being designed with buffering capabilities to utilize surplus power in a thermal mass (thermo batteries?). Consider an airconditioning system that uses surplus power to cool a thermo battery which then draws on the stored low temperature mass during non-surplus periods. This, of course, assumes that surplus power is billed at a significantly lower rate.

 

yea ... the term "storage" is a bit misleading ... maybe buffering is a better term?

U of M or some high-end school like that demonstrated a concept house a few years ago that used thermo batteries - they were some sort of gel packs installed in the foundation of a house, and could be heated or cooled by surplus "free energy" from solar / wind - then that energy could be extracted when the generating source wasn't generating enough. I think it was part of a hydronic hvac system.

I don't know if the energy company in our area charges peak/non-peak ... my residential bill doesn't break it down at least, neither does the one for my commercial office space, but maybe they do for factories?

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It would require absolute massive cooperation to actually work.

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for what to work?

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For the basic cold storage idea to work. If the local energy company dosen't offer a discounted rate for power drawn during off peak hours no one's going to implement it because it doesn't save them money.

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I think it will work to some degree, even without the cooperation of the local energy company.

1) your wind turbine gives you 'free' extra energy to chill your freezers (which could be thousands of square feet) below the temperature that the controller normally cuts-out at

2) once the wind power is no longer available, your freezers can "coast" on the fact their temperature is still below the cut-out temp.

3) once the temp rises back to "normal", you'll have to buy energy from the coal plant to maintain the temperature unless there is wind available.

4) the the cycle repeats. coal-energy costs are saved thanks to the coasting from step 1 to 2.

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Wind turbines are generally pretty expensive to run though, and usually only viable in places where there is a lot of wind all the time. Using solar power would be more practical, allowing the sun to help provide extra cooling during the day when wasted energy is going to be highest because of the increased temperature, and the 'coasting' is more effciant at night when the lower ambient temperature will cause heat to be lost less quickly.

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what do you base "expensive to run" on? sure there is capital out lay - maybe that's what you meant. However, wind power systems have come down significantly in price and I believe it's competitive with solar. In many areas, wind is more dependable than sun.

 

I would have thought wind power is considerably cheaper than solar?, solar panels are VERY expensive, and only have fairly small outputs. For the same initial outlay a wind generator would be many times more powerful, and probably work for a greater percentage of the time?.

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once we get the 40-50% efficient panels into mass production, then solar might be worth looking at, but massive cash outlay for 15-25% efficiency is just terrible.

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Looks like I'm out of date here. I thought that PV were at best around 10% efficient. That is around 100W/M². Are you telling me that there are panels that are going to produce upto 50W/M² in the pipeline. Any links would be appreciated.

Mike.

 

I guess it all depends on your budget. what the hobbiest or home owner can buy I think fits your 10% number, 8 to 15% for various forms of single layer silicon or thin-film cells. But highly expensive, commercial multilayer cells are in the 20%+ range, and uber expensive multijunction cells reaching past 30%.

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Oddly enough, today's wall street journal has a whole section on alternative power and there is an article titled "The new math of alternative energy". The article says that wind power is less expensive to install and 1/4 the operating cost of solar (when financing costs are factored in).

They do say that a newer technology, CSP - concentrating solar power, can drive the cost down to on a par with other technologies. This requires a pretty major facillity. However, solar panels aren't even close to cost competitive with wind.

Phil

 

Solar panels aren't economic, the value of the energy porduced over their life time is often less than the cost of production, installation and maintenance.

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Thermal storage, whether for heating or cooling, is relatively common and is often used to either limit electrical demand and/or to reduce cooling or heating equipment size.

Thermal storage can be as described - taking a room, storage facility or other space down or up in temp. I can also be heating or cooling water in a tank for later distribution when and where needed. It's use isn't as widespread as one would like to see because of the expense.

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