Storing Surplus Wind Underground

Wind Storage
Wind power is great...but it sure would be greater if it were constant. Indeed...the wind doesn't blow all day every day. And so, it seems, we might be stuck with some of the less renewable (but more constant) forms of generating power. That is, unless we can find high-capacity, high-efficiency means to store the power when there's plenty of it, and use it when it's needed.

Which is why a group of entrepreneurs in Dallas are looking at digging some big holes into "porous sand stone." Basically, they plan on taking excess electricity from a wind farm and pumping it into a subterranean cavern with giant compressors. Then, when mother nature turns off the wind, they simply open up the valve, and use the air pressure to spin some turbines that produce electricity.

They plan to literally store wind...and it looks pretty cool. We just blogged about a hydro-electric system working on the same power storage principle. But a region's natural geography is going to be important. And in ultra-flat areas like Texas, hydroelectric might not be the best option.

Via Ecotality

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Oil Wells
written by EV, October 08, 2007

I wonder if they could use depleted oil wells for storage. That way they wouldn't have to create new caves.

I wonder how this compares to pumping wa
written by Webster, October 08, 2007

into above ground tanks. Obviously, if there's an existing well as suggested above, it makes a lot of sense since air is a lot easier on equipment.

or bad investments
written by e, October 09, 2007

or if you could use bores that didn't hit any oil... to recoupe the cost of drilling a hole lot of nothing...

I wonder if it's easier to predict suitable places to drill for wind storage. No doubt you'd be less likely to have your country bombed for having ground containing rock rich in nothing.

What about General Compression
written by Bill, October 09, 2007

Check out www.generalcompression.com. They are all about storing compressed wind, as opposed to 'excess electricity'

sohbet
written by sohbet, October 09, 2007

thank you

multitasking with big holes in the earth
written by Tim Hurst, October 09, 2007

Maybe they can use those same holes to sequester carbon in. Oh yeah, and store spent uranium rods in. Ooh, also mercury from all the spent compact fluorescents.

I'm actually not that pessimistic about this technology, it is just the former plumber/leak detector in me that convinces me to entertain my doubts about storing anything under pressure.

http://ecopolitology.blogspot.com/

...
written by Realitybytes, October 11, 2007

I'm no expert, but it always drives me crazy when people say in regards to wind and solar power, "but what about times when there is no wind or sun?". How stupid is that!? Without much thought I can imagine a 1/2 dozen ideas, batteries, storage of water in an uphill reservoir, compression, kinetic storage flywheels, weights that lift and fall for power, and so on...

Great Innovation...
written by Sed Emihcra, October 11, 2007

...but who is going to pay for it? This sounds horrendously expensive.

...
written by Tom Ryan, November 07, 2007

Re -> entertain my doubts about storing anything under pressure.

It does sound odd but I live in Kentucky and the local utility spends the summer buying natural gas when it is cheap. They pump it into porus rocks in the ground and then they recover it in the winter.

So it can be done.

sohbet
written by sohbet, November 10, 2007

thxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

thanks
written by oyunlar, March 06, 2008

Good job admin

thanks.

inhabitant
written by generic jim, July 04, 2008

it takes energy to pump,loose some in the process,expenses.why drill more holes!?? future seems dim there,not in $ but eco.stop churning up the ground yea? solar solar solar

plumbers
written by Lucas, October 14, 2011

I'm so glad we have plumbers who can do most of this stuff.

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