Compressed Air Energy Storage

The compressor and turbine sections of the gas turbine.

Compressed air energy storage.

The compressed air is stored in air tanks and the reverse operation drives an alternator which supplies the power to whatever establishment the energy storage system is serving be it a factory or. Compressed air energy storage caes is a way to store energy generated at one time for use at another time using compressed air at utility scale energy generated during periods of low energy demand off peak can be released to meet higher demand periods the first utility scale caes project was built in huntorf and is still operational while the huntorf caes plant was initially developed as. In the first project of its kind the bonneville power administration teamed with the pacific northwest national laboratory and a full complement of industrial and utility partners to evaluate the technical and economic feasibility of developing compressed air energy storage caes in the unique geologic setting of inland washington and oregon. It incorporates a modified state of the art gas turbine and an underground reservoir that may be an aquifer a salt cavity or a mined hardrock cavern.

Pg e is engaged in a project to explore the use of caes to power generators during peak periods when the energy is needed most. Compressed air energy storage caes is a technique for supplying electric power to meet peak load requirements of electric utility systems. But instead of pumping water from a lower to an upper pond during periods of excess power in a caes plant ambient air or another gas is compressed and stored under pressure in an underground cavern or container.