CATCH THE WIND

Or they could get everybody driving plug-in hybrids connected to a smart grid, like Plug-In Partners wants to do, which would provide storage for wind energy at no development cost.

Wind storage would improve efficiency
April 5, 2007 (UPI)

WHO
Sustainable Energy Ireland did the study and, along with Tapbury Management Ltd, will fund. VRB Power Systems of Canada will supply the battery.

WHAT
Study results released by Sustainable Energy Ireland suggest that the use of wind energy storage systems would increase efficiency. A Vanadium Redox Battery Energy Storage System was judged to be feasible for the 6 megawatt Sorne Hill wind energy system.

WHEN
Feasibility study precedes planning and implementation, as in “…many a slip ‘twixt the cup and the lip.”

WHERE
The storage will be for Sorne Hill Wind Farm, Buncrana, Inishowen Donegal, Ireland.

WHY
Off-peak wind energy can then be stored in the battery system for availability at times of higher demand.

QUOTES
- "Ireland possesses a wind resource that is one of the best in Western Europe. In order to exploit this, SEI is supporting the development of strategically important technologies which enable Ireland to use large amounts of wind power reliably," said David Taylor, chief executive officer of SEI.
- "The feasibility report provides for the first time an initial technical and economic validation for a number of the key revenue streams that we had previously identified in relation to the integration of wind power and storage," said John Ward, director of Tapbury Management.