What is wind energy storage?

1. Wind energy is one of the most abundant renewable energy sources, but wind energy is unpredictable and unstable, which makes it impossible to make full use of wind energy. With the development of energy storage technology, it is more efficient to connect wind turbines with storage devices, which can efficiently store the energy produced by wind turbines, and play a crucial role in optimizing the efficiency and reliability of wind energy.

2. When the wind turbine obtains wind kinetic energy and converts it into electrical energy, there will be energy left over, mainly because of the unstable strength of the wind, and the energy storage system will store the excess energy to realize a reliable and stable energy supply.

Wind energy storage methods

1. Battery energy storage

Battery storage systems for wind turbines have become a popular and versatile method. Wind turbines store surplus energy in batteries through controllers, and the batteries release the energy to the grid or to the home during peak power periods. Batteries include lead-acid, lithium-ion, and colloidal batteries, each with different characteristics, and you need to choose the right battery for your needs to satisfy wind energy storage. We recommend that you use lithium iron phosphate batteries, mainly because of the long service life of lithium iron phosphate batteries, high safety, and the battery has a battery management system inside the battery, the user can use smart devices to view the battery’s operating conditions.

2. Mechanical energy storage

Mechanical energy storage is through the conversion of electrical energy into mechanical energy, to store energy will wind power generation system excess electrical energy into mechanical energy, when we need electricity, can be converted into mechanical energy for us to use, there are mainly four kinds of mechanical energy storage system:

2.1 Solid gravity energy storage

Solid gravity storage is the use of wind turbine residual energy transferred to an electric motor to lift up the solid weight, and when the weight is falling, the electric motor can reverse the rotation to become a generator to produce electricity. The cost of using solid gravity storage is lower than battery storage and pumped storage, having a more stable power supply.

2.2 Flywheel energy storage

In the energy storage, wind energy remaining electrical energy through the power converter drive motor operation, the motor drives the flywheel accelerated rotation, the flywheel accelerated rotation process, the flywheel in the form of kinetic energy to store energy, to complete the conversion of electrical energy to mechanical energy storage energy process, the energy is stored in the high-speed rotation of the flywheel body. When the need to use, high-speed rotation of the flywheel drive generator power generation, and then for a variety of power equipment.

2.3 Pumped storage

Pumped storage is the most technologically mature energy storage method, the use of water as an energy storage medium, through the mutual conversion between electrical energy and potential energy to realize the energy storage of wind energy. The use of wind energy excess energy will be pumped from lower reservoirs to higher reservoirs, in the strong demand for electricity, will be put into the downstream reservoirs to generate electricity. Suitable for energy storage with large-scale development conditions.

2.4 Compressed air energy storage

Compressed air energy storage is the use of excess wind energy to compress the air and will be stored in a high-pressure tank, in the energy demand is strong, the compressed air will be released, the expansion of the air through the heat exchanger heating, will enter the turbine rotation power generation to meet the demand for electricity.

3. Thermal Energy Storage

Storing energy in the form of heat, there are mainly the following types:

3.1 Ice storage system for air conditioning

The main purpose is to use excess wind energy to freeze water into ice and store it, and use the stored ice to supply air conditioning loads during peak electricity consumption, which can reduce air conditioning refrigeration use and save electricity costs.

3.2 Liquid air energy storage

Use wind energy to liquefy air and store it, and then use the volume expansion of the liquefied air when it turns back into a gas to do work to generate electricity during peak periods of power consumption. Liquid energy storage systems have relatively low manufacturing costs and long equipment life, with the disadvantage of lower efficiency.

4. Electricity to gas storage

The remaining energy of wind energy to use electricity to create gas combustion, such as hydrogen and methane, using electrolysis to create hydrogen, which will be mixed into the natural gas pipeline to use or the use of electrolysis to create hydrogen plus carbon dioxide reaction to produce methane.

Advantages and disadvantages of wind energy storage

1. Advantages of wind energy storage

1.1 Reduction of greenhouse gas emissions

The use of wind energy storage can reduce the emission of greenhouse gases by simply releasing the stored electricity when it is needed for use by electrical equipment. And the use of wind storage can reduce the dependence on fossil fuels, play a role in protecting the environment.

1.2 Enhance the stability of the power grid

Wind power generation is an intermittent application, the use of wind power storage can alleviate the intermittency of wind power generation, in the peak period of electricity consumption, wind energy storage can be given to the power grid, to ensure the stability of power supply.

1.3 Reduce the cost of use

Due to the development of battery technology, the use of batteries for wind energy storage has become more and more common, which can reduce the overall cost of the wind system, and optimize the use of wind energy, reduce the dependence on the power grid, you can use the wind energy storage to supply electricity during peak periods of electricity consumption, reduce the cost of using electricity.

1.4 Increase the use of clean energy

Wind energy storage system can increase the use of clean energy, wind turbines produce electricity to meet the power needs of daily life, and use wind energy storage to supply electricity at night or when the wind turbines are not working, with high energy utilization.

1.5 Policy support

Wind energy storage is an integral part of the wind power generation system, belongs to clean energy, can reduce the use of traditional energy, play a role in protecting the environment, can be supported by national policies, such as (tax relief, etc.), can reduce the cost of use.

1.6 Energy independence

Wind energy storage system, can in the grid failure or blackout state, independent operation, for the family or other power equipment, enhance the ability to cope with special circumstances, better enjoy life.

2. Disadvantages of wind energy storage

2.1 Noise pollution

When storing wind energy, there will be noise in the vicinity of the wind farm, affecting the lives of people living in the surrounding area.

2.2 Intermittency

Due to the intermittent nature of wind energy, it is not possible to ensure that one is in working condition, and the energy storage system needs to work according to the energy demand.

Challenges and advantages of wind energy storage

Due to the instability of wind power generation, there will be an unstable power supply, in the use of electrical energy need to increase the controller and other components to stabilize the power supply, and the wind storage will also appear security problems. On the other hand, due to the development of battery technology, connecting wind turbines to battery storage devices allows for better utilization of wind energy and reduces the use of traditional fossil energy sources.

Cost of wind storage systems

Separate storage system has many forms, such as mechanical storage, battery storage, etc., each storage method has different cost of use, need to consider a variety of factors, such as batteries, need to consider the type of battery, capacity, life expectancy, etc., each classification has a different price, you need to choose the wind storage method according to their own needs, and calculate the most economical cost of wind energy storage.

To summarize:

Wind energy storage is an energy source that can be used efficiently, wind energy does not run out over time and does not cause any pollution to the environment. We recommend that families use lithium iron phosphate batteries to store wind energy, which are easy to install and have a high lifespan.