The firm Highview Power is rolling full steam ahead with plans for a fleet of air-powered energy storage systems in the UK. Once online, the new batteries will help shepherd more clean power into the grid, improve reliability, and guard against power loss in case of blackouts.
Can air do all that? Yes, air can be used to store energy.
One idea is to super-cool air down to a liquid, which shrinks the volume. When you need electricity you let it warm up a bit, which expands the volume, which creates pressure. Then the pressure can be used to run a turbine.
Highview Power is planning to use its proprietary CRYObattery utility-scale liquid air technology to help ease transmission bottlenecks in UK. Along with providing the same kind of baseload power as a conventional power plant
The new energy storage will provide a full slate of grid services including market arbitrage, synchronous voltage support, frequency regulation and reserves, synchronous inertia, black start capabilities, and other services that monetize the facility while efficiently balancing electricity supply and demand.
It is working in a partnership with the firm Carlton Power to build five CRYObattery facilities in the UK for a total of more than 1 GW in energy storage.
They are trying to develop a new kind of battery that would eliminate the need for coal and gas entirely, and allow for a 100% renewable, carbon free grid.
Reference- Clean Technica, Highview Power PR, Science Daily