Four Ways The World Can Store New Energy

How can we store renewable energy? 4 technologies that can help

Victoria Masteron, 23 April 2021 (World Economic Forum)

“…[If the sun isn’t shining or the wind isn’t blowing,] four storage technologies are fundamental to smoothing out peaks and dips in energy demand without resorting to fossil fuels…1. Pumped hydro…involves pumping water uphill at times of low energy demand. The water is stored in a reservoir and, in periods of high demand, released through turbines to create electricity…More than half of new hydropower capacity additions in Europe by 2025 will be pumped storage…In China, pumped storage will also account for more than half of new hydropower capacity annually between 2023 and 2025…

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…2. Batteries… convert stored chemical energy into electrical energy…Advances in technology and falling prices mean grid-scale battery facilities that can store increasingly large amounts of energy are enjoying record growth…[in California,] Australia, Germany, Japan, the UK, Lithuania and Chile…3. Thermal energy storage…involves storing excess energy – typically surplus energy from renewable sources, or waste heat – to be used later for heating, cooling or power generation…Liquids – such as water – or solid material - such as sand or rocks - can store thermal energy. Chemical reactions or changes in materials can also be used to store and release thermal energy…Water tanks in buildings are simple examples…

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…4. Mechanical energy storage…harnesses motion or gravity to store electricity…[A] flywheel is a rotating mechanical device that is used to store rotational energy that can be called up instantaneously…Other mechanical systems include compressed air energy storage, which… involves storing pressurised air or gas and then heating and expanding it in a turbine to generate power…” click here for more

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