A
University of Minnesota invention could help make storage of solar and
wind energy more efficient and economical. The invention was licensed to
SustainX, a leading global developer of grid-scale energy storage
solutions that use patented isothermal compressed air methods to store
large amounts of energy cleanly and economically.
“A
lot of renewable energy sources, like wind and solar, are
unpredictable. The wind doesn’t always blow, and the sun doesn’t always
shine. With economical bulk energy storage, one can really stabilize
these energy sources, which makes them more predictable and more
reliable,” said Perry Li, inventor and mechanical engineering professor
in the College of Science and Engineering.
SustainX
is developing isothermal (or near-constant temperature) compressed air
energy storage (CAES) systems that provide bulk energy storage capacity
while reducing carbon emissions and increasing the reliability of the
electric grid. The conventional method of compressed air energy storage
depends on the use of underground caverns, which greatly limits their
available locations and practical use. The SustainX solution uses
pipe-type air storage, which makes it possible to store energy virtually
anywhere.
“This licensing agreement with the University of Minnesota expands
SustainX’s growing IP portfolio and provides our company with another
possible method of implementing our unique isothermal CAES technology,”
said Dax Kepshire, SustainX vice president and general manager.
The
SustainX energy storage solution could also reduce the need for
gas-powered peaker plants that operate during hours of peak energy
usage.
The
technology was licensed to SustainX by the university’s Office for
Technology Commercialization. The research was funded by the National
Science Foundation.
Source: University of Minnesota
