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Re:Ditch the Batteries: Off-Grid Compressed Air Energy Storage by newman8r on Thursday May 24, 2018 @09:08AM (#17143572)
I feel like they have different applications so they're not necessarily competing. Obviously compressed air systems will never have the energy density of a battery, but they could be much more reliable. It also scales up really easily, and I think that's where the sweet spot is - I've heard of people sealing off caves to make giant air storage tanks for these projects.
Re:Ditch the Batteries: Off-Grid Compressed Air Energy Storage by oori on Thursday May 24, 2018 @10:19AM (#17144173)
"sealing off caves" - would love to see, or hear the facts. Specifically, about safety of the pressure "chamber".
Re:Ditch the Batteries: Off-Grid Compressed Air Energy Storage by newman8r on Thursday May 24, 2018 @10:27AM (#17144270)
https://caes.pnnl.gov/ - it's an interesting project. Apparently it's more like 'underground caverns' than caves.
Re:Ditch the Batteries: Off-Grid Compressed Air Energy Storage by jandrese on Thursday May 24, 2018 @11:35AM (#17145020)
I think it is more typically done with old mines. Natural caves are far more complex systems and there are environmental concerns.
Re:Ditch the Batteries: Off-Grid Compressed Air Energy Storage by newman8r on Thursday May 24, 2018 @11:58AM (#17145250)
you're right - it looks like the caverns being used for experimentation are the result of solution mining for salt.