Information about companies and resources related to Energy Storage. Wikipedia on Energy Storage.
Electricity storage is more difficult than heat storage (which can be used to generate electricity). Heat storage is more efficient than electricity storage because 2-7% of eh energy is lost in when heat is banked in a storage system compared with losses of at least 15% when energy is stored in a battery. Heat storage systems also allow generation of electricity with fairly cheap turbine technology.
See also, Energy - Ultracapacitor Page.
Additional Resources
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Companies
Always On UPS Systems Inc. - was incorporated by Wilfred Frey, the founder and former President of Tycor International Inc. Over 100 years of experience is employed at Always "On" in the design and manufacture of high quality UPS's, inverters, converters, rectifiers and other Power Conditioning Products. Presently, four electrical engineers, five electronic engineers and twelve engineering technicians support the production, manufacturing and sales personnel. For more information, view our In Depth Profile
Energetix Group - Energy - Distributed Generation Page. *
Ice Energy - Energy - Demand Response Page. Locations: Windsor, Colorado. Also a storage company.
Iowa Stored Energy Park (ISEP) - will use the energy from a large wind power facility located in Iowa where there are good wind resources. This wind energy will be used to store air in an underground geologic structure. During peak power demands, the stored air will be released, mixed with a fuel and used to power combustion turbines that produce environmentally friendly and economical electricity.
Locations: Ankeny, Iowa.
Website:
http://www.isepa.com/about_isep.asp
Gaia Power Technologies - provides turnkey distributed energy management and storage systems in 11kW building blocks. Our systems are designed to reduce utility bills for businesses, provide an alternative to generators for backup power, deliver whole-home and whole-room power conditioning, and improve the performance of alternative energy technologies in off-grid and end-of-grid applications . Gaia's core technology is a Modular Stationary Power Supply (MSPS), which integrates all balance-of-system components, including an IT platform with proprietary communications and control, advanced power electronics, and proven energy storage technology, into a cabinet-sized energy management system. The complete system: 1) installs easily 2) operates quietly, continuously and emissions-free 3) can be controlled remotely and networked to aggregate power and storage, and 4) integrates seamlessly with multiple power sources.
Website: http://www.gaiapowertechnologies.com
GreenSmith Energy Management Systems - is an innovative provider of intelligent, distributed energy storage systems (DESS) that shift load and flatten peak electricity demand by utilizing electricity in distributed locations stored during off-peak hours. Privately held, and based in the nation’s capital, GreenSmith is recognized by electric utilities and their state regulatory commissions for providing an innovative storage medium for alternative energy generation. GreenSmith holds several patents in the areas of intelligent control and storage of electricity for the purpose of assisting the electric power industry to more efficiently leverage existing generation, transmission, and distribution of electricity, as well as to facilitate the utilization of renewable energy sources.
Locations: Bethesda, Maryland.
Website: http://www.greensmith.us.com
NGK Insulators - focus has been on a power storage system which applies high energy density and high efficient sodium-sulfur (NaS) batteries - for peak shaving applications. Tokyo Electric Power is co-developer of the technology for NaS.
Locations: Tokyo, Japan
Website: http://www.ngk.co.jp/english/products/power/nas/index.html
Marketed in the US by Technology Insights - Energy - Consultants Page. Locations: San Diego, California.
SmartSpark Energy Systems - is a power electronics company, specializing in the development of products that support the efficient transformation and storage of energy used in renewable technologies. SmartSpark’s goal is to facilitate the mainstream adoption of green technologies, including electric and hybrid vehicles, advanced batteries and ultracapacitors, solar panels and fuel cells, by providing products that make these technologies safer, more efficient, and longer lasting. SmartSpark Energy Systems has licensed several technologies from the Electrical and Computer Engineering Laboratories at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Locations: Champaign, Illinois.
People: http://www.smartsparkenergy.com/Leadership_Team.aspx
Website: http://www.smartsparkenergy.com
Trinity Thermal Systems - founded to develop and manufacture thermal energy storage (TES) products that easily and inexpensively work with small to mid-sized air conditioning systems. Conventional TES systems are well established and have been in use for over 80 years. Conventional TES systems are economical on buildings over 100,000 square feet, but this technology does not work with smaller unitary air conditioning systems that most of us use. IceCycle is Trinity's patented and proven TES technology that provides clean, efficient, and affordable off-peak cooling for homes and small to midsize businesses. Website. *
Technologies
Cement Storage - $25k/KW is a target cost for this technology.
Molten Salt - The specific cost for a two-tank molten salt storage is in the range of US$ 30–40/kWW. Wikipedia on Molten Salt Batteries. See Wikipedia on Solar Thermal Energy for a reference to molten salt technology in use.
Thermocline - $20k/KW is a target cost for this technology.
Additional Resources
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Paul J. Feldman