Home
Comment Book
Energy storage options
For a truely Zero Carbon solution, we will need to aim for self-sufficiency (or a partial-self-sufficiency) in relation to the electrical energy that we consume. We must couple our energy generation system(s) with a storage system. Current options for what we do with the power we generate are:
- Use it to power electrical appliances! - ‘no batteries required’.
- Store it locally - ‘batteries required’.
- Export it to the national grid - removing the need for battery storage.
Regardless of the type of electricity generation system we choose any electricty not immediately used will need to be stored for future usage.
Batteries are a thorny issue as storage using batteries is an anathema to good environment design. This is because batteries contain toxic metals and unless they are discarded and reprocessed appropriately can easily lead to hazardous waste. Unless for truely off-grid situations, where few viable alternatives exist, batteries are best avoided.
That leaves us with exporting generated electricity to the national grid. These systems remove the need for battery storage. The generation system is connected to the local electricity network (grid) and any electricity not consumed locally can be sold to the electricity supply company. Where the local generation system is unable to provide all electricity demanded, for example at night, then electricity is bought from the grid. The ‘grid’ acts as the storage system. These systems avoid the risk of wasting unused power and also provide a back-up system that ensures that supply is maintained even when the local system is unable to fulfill demand.
January 27th, 2009 at 3:30 pm
[…] You can read more on these options - energy storage options […]
February 18th, 2009 at 11:59 pm
[…] blades of the turbine into rotational force that is converted into electrical energy by a generatorEnergy storage optionsFor a truely Zero Carbon solution, we will need to aim for self-sufficiency (or a […]