Benefits of Compressed Air for the Renewable Energy Sector
How does the renewable energy sector deal with seasonal availability? Compressed air storage is one of the answers to keep up with supply and demand.
Have you ever thought about what happens when it isn’t windy or sunny? How do they produce the energy that we need, without using fossil fuels? Luckily, this issue has led to a number of developments in the renewable energy sector.
How Compressed Air Storage Helps Renewable Energy Resources
Production Plants
The energy production process happens in production plants all across the country and is vital for bringing us the energy we need. When production fails to meet demand, large reserves of compressed air can be relied upon to power generators during peak usage periods or for under-resourced renewable energy grids.
Not only this, but compressed air systems also provide production plants with a great degree of control over output which leads to many benefits. This include reselling unused energy for a higher price at a later date, capturing energy that is commonly lost during production and being more reliable against unexpected surges in demand.
Solar Power
Solar energy unfortunately suffers from intermittency because of the unpredictable weather. You may think there is not much we can do about that, however, compressed air storage is a reliable solution.
Solar power can actually be repurposed to heat, which can then be used to compress air. This compressed air can then be used to generate energy and power, therefore extending the purpose of sun’s rays.
Wind Energy
Another weather element that suffers from intermittency because, of course, it is not always windy. Compressed air storage has come to the rescue again though and seeks to solve the supply and demand issue.
The renewable energy that is generated initially from wind turbines can be stored as compressed air for future use. So, when the supply is low, the compressed air will be released when necessary, therefore creating the energy that is required.
Compressed Air Storage for Renewable Energy
The use of compressed air storage is popular amongst all renewable energy sources and for good reason. It has made the renewable energy sector a much more reliable option and not so reliant on mother nature.
At Air Power East, we provide a wide range of air compressors plus additional services such as servicing and installation. If you have any questions and require more information, please contact us today and see how we can help you.
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About the author
Air Power East
Air Power East provides air compressor systems, industrial air compressor equipment and compressor maintenance services across the East Anglian region