| Storing Surplus Wind Underground |
| Written by Hank Green | ||
| Monday, 08 October 2007 | ||
|
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
Comments
(12)
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 03, 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
| ||
| < Prev | Next > |
|---|
Science, technology gadgets and...baby seals. We're in a bit of an eco-mess, but we've got the brains to lick any problem. And that's why EcoGeek.org publishes up to ten stories daily about innovations that are saving the planet.
And if that sounds interesting to you, then congratulations, you're an EcoGeek.
Subscribe to this comment's feed
