bottling britain's wind energy - commercial energy storage systems

There is a lot of wind in the UK, but the challenge is to store this energy (Image:
Robbie/Aurora)
In order to achieve green development, the UK needs to make full use of wind energy.
We have six years and the team of engineers are scrambling to do it.
According to the terms of the EU agreement, 2020 of Britain's energy should come from renewable energy.
It is likely that most of the energy will come from the large amount of wind energy obtained in the UK.
The challenge we face is how to store energy best.
There are about 4500 wind turbines on the British mainland, and their production capacity is about 7.
5 GW of electricity, about 4 KW enough. 3 million.
But the wind is frivolous and does not respond to fluctuations in energy demand, so the tricky part is to maintain this energy when needed.
Fortunately, the team of engineers is investigating the case.
As far as the mechanical engineer Simo GAVI is concerned, he has some ideas.
Garvey, a professor of dynamics at the University of Nottingham, remembers a crazy idea popping up in his head.
Driving along the highway, he thought, why not store excess energy under water?
In principle, the electricity generated by wind turbines can be used to breathe in and compress air.
Before releasing the pressure to drive the generator, this air can be stored for a period of time, converting the stored energy back to power.
Garvey's idea is to store compressed air in bags under the sea.
"I couldn't think of it, so I started to prove it was a bad idea.
"But this is not a bad idea after all.
Keeping the air compressed means putting a lot of pressure on it-something that is well-stocked under the sea floor.
"It's important to use what's around you," Garvey said . " He is now developing a commercial underwater compressed air storage system with a Canadian company.
These airbags can also be stored in underground coal and salt mines, especially given the large number of unused airbags currently in the UK.
"The abandoned shaft is a very good pressure vessel," Garvey said . ".
Other teams have taken a more traditional approach in storing energy and colon; with batteries.
This battery needs to store enough power to power the country and be able to cope with the power demand for the second wave.
This leaves many interesting problems to be solved.
At AES, a global energy company, Marek Kubik is helping to develop the largest-scale lithium-
Ion battery project in the UK.
Kubik's role as a business strategy consultant is diverse.
"One day I met outside with stakeholders, the next day I was working on a grant financing proposal, and the next day I was evaluating a potential project or looking for an investment," he said . ".
Kubik, also a visiting researcher at the University of Reading, is looking at how the development of renewable energy will affect the fossil fuel market.
Kubik likes to look more broadly at the role of innovative technologies in renewable energy.
He spent a lot of time talking to policy.
Manufacturers and industry stakeholders are also involved in the development of the industry as a whole, he said.
But there is also exciting work to be done at the forefront of battery technology, says Emma Kenrick, chief technology expert at electronics firm Sharp energy storage.
Kendrick is developing batteries that use sodium instead of lithium.
Because sodium is one of the more abundant of both elements, this battery may be cheaper than lithium batteries.
Ion peers, says Kendrick.
She also manages other R & D projects undertaken by Sharp's team.
"I like to find the basic science that complements the development of technology," she said . ".
Chemist Kendrick and engineer Kubik are both industrial-
The two said getting a funded PhD is a great way to get into an industry career.
Andy Gregory took a different approach.
After obtaining his degree in civil and structural engineering, he entered the field of civil engineering directly.
Now he works with energy companies in Scotland and south to develop another technology for storing wind and colon;
Water and electricity.
The technology uses gravity to store energy.
Electricity is used to pump water to a mountain stored in a reservoir.
When there is a demand for electricity, the water is released to the mountains to run the turbines.
This is a technology used in the UK since 1963.
Gregory, based near Fort William, said that when you work in Scotland heights, it is not difficult to be passionate about your work.
But Gregory prefers to work on a project than the scenic countryside, which aims to provide enough electricity to more than 1 million families.
"I can spend some time outdoors in Scotland Heights and get paid for it, as well as experience working on a unique job --
"Working with global experts in the field on projects for the UK," he said . ".
Gregory says a diverse team is critical to him and other pumped storage projects.
Design and construction projects by civil, mechanical and electrical engineers, with ecologists and planners organizing funds and overseeing development.
"It's all about building a team with complementary skills and collaborative capabilities," he said . ".
The possibility that the energy industry is now moving to renewable energy is enormous.
From underwater storage bags to state-of-the-art batteries, solutions are as diverse as career opportunities for people behind development.