A
new episode in the American Chemical Society’s (ACS) regular “Global
Challenges/Chemistry Solutions” podcast series focuses on developing a
so-called “green grid,” a next-generation electric distribution system
that would foster wider production of renewable electricity from the sun
and wind.
After
years of neglect, scientists and policy makers are focusing more
attention on developing technologies needed to make the “green grid”
possible, Zhenguo (Gary) Yang, Ph.D., says in the podcast. He is with
the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington.
The
green electrical grid of the future is an interconnected network for
delivering solar and wind-based electricity from suppliers to consumers.
Spurring interest in the grid and renewable sources of energy are
concerns over the use of coal, oil, and other fuels that contribute to
global warming. But solar and wind are not constant and reliable sources
of power, since wind power fluctuates from moment to moment and solar
power is generated only in the daytime. This situation poses a
significant challenge for electrical grid operators because other power
plants need to compensate for this variability and the U.S. power grid
currently has little energy storage capability. To enable a significant
level of penetration and effective use of renewable energy sources amid
growing energy demands, electrical grids of the future will need a
low-cost, efficient way to integrate and store this electrical energy,
Yang notes.
Yang’s
research involved an analysis of more than 300 scientific studies and
identified several technologies that can be used for energy storage for
the green grid. These include high-tech batteries now in development
that can efficiently store electricity in the form of chemicals and
reversibly release it on demand. Among the promising technologies are
so-called redox flow and sodium-ion batteries, which could provide a low
cost, high efficiency way to store energy. In addition to the United
States, several other countries such as China and countries in Europe
are planning to increase research activities related to energy storage
and development.
The
growing interests as well as worldwide research and development
activities suggest a bright outlook for developing stationary energy
storage technologies for the future electric grid, Yang concludes.
The new podcast is available without charge at iTunes and from ACS’ Global Challenges website, listed below.
