Soon to Come, Storing Renewable Energy for Later Use
Currently, the amount of electricity produced is restricted according to the production capability of the power grid. During peak usage times, the grid is taxed to the max, making it more vulnerable to failure. This supply versus demand system supports the high energy costs that we as consumers are faced with. What if energy could be caged and stored for future use?The technology is already in place for energy storage, but currently is an expensive process. The hope is that the practice will grow in efficiency and eventually be in widespread operation.
The process works by storing the unused electricity made from renewable sources such as solar energy and wind during off-peak times, and then supplementing the power grid during peak usage time. According to Lawrence Gelbien, vice president of technology at the utility company NStar “storage units could be deployed in place of installing more ‘wires and poles’ in a place that isn’t served with enough electricity to meet demand for only a few days of the year. Because storage devices are movable, they could be redeployed in other places after a few years as the need arises.” (Energy Storage Coming to a Grid Near You, CNet News.com.)
Also under the umbrella of electrical storage for household consumption is storing it and converting it to fuel for transportation. With the recent high fuel prices, the government is finally taking a closer look at alternatives such as energy storage. Hybrid electric vehicles (HEV’s) can use the high energy of stored electrical energy for fuel. In order for these vehicles to become more efficient and affordable for all Americans, energy storage must become more efficient and practical.
The encouraging aspect to our energy problems is that our government is finally forced to allocate more resources toward developing new technologies. Hopefully, this will lead to more renewable energy resources and more eco-friendly options.
