A Better Deal
A better deal is available. Energy storage is a way to capture electricity generated from renewable sources. Here in the UK we have an abundance of renewable energy generation. Wind energy is abundant. Solar energy generation is a daytime only method.
A Better Deal = Energy Storage
Storage of electricity is the key to unlocking the many benefits of renewable energy. When the sun shines we can to store any energy that we don’t need. When the wind blows we can to store the excess energy produced.
The issue for power plants is flexibility. “Large amounts of wind energy are being reliably and cost-effectively integrated onto the power system today,” said Denise Bode, CEO of the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA), who added “Energy storage can be a valuable resource for the power system in maximizing the efficient use of this resource, and add flexibility for electric utilities.”
Here is a bit of an article at the Guardian article about grid storage:
Across the world, efforts are underway to improve the way we store and distribute energy, as we move towards more sustainable but intermittent forms of energy generation, such as wind and solar power.
Solar energy storage is the Key
Improving the way we store energy is important for the UK’s energy security, as it will allow us to decouple energy generation and its usage. If we can find a better way to store energy it will allow us to save it when it’s generated and use it when it’s required, replacing our current awkward system where generation has to match demand in real time.
Storage of electricity is not a new concept. There are many storage methods employed by the National Grid to save energy for a rainy day. There are many new ways to store energy too. I have written about several of these here on this blog.
From free energy generation created by school girls, to British energy companies that actually like the environment, we do have a green way forward. We can create all the energy we need without destroying the planet or building new nuclear power plants.
The key to making all this work is energy storage.