Comparison of compressed air energy storage and lithium battery energy storage

Could lithium-ion batteries provide grid-scale storage?

But that approach is limited by geography, and most potential sites in the United States have already been used. Lithium-ion batteries could provide grid-scale storage but only for about four hours. Longer than that and battery systems get prohibitively expensive.

Are liquid air energy storage systems economically viable?

“Liquid air energy storage” (LAES) systems have been built, so the technology is technically feasible. Moreover, LAES systems are totally clean and can be sited nearly anywhere, storing vast amounts of electricity for days or longer and delivering it when it’s needed. But there haven’t been conclusive studies of its economic viability.

What is compressed air energy storage (CAES)?

Compressed air energy storage (CAES) is a technology employed for decades to store electrical energy, mainly on large-scale systems, whose advances have been based on improvements in thermal management of air compression and expansion stages through adiabatic and nearly isothermal processes.

How long does compressed air energy storage last?

Compressed air energy storage systems have a long lifespan of up to 30 years. They don’t require any toxic disposal.

Can compressed air energy storage solve peaking and baseline problems?

Compressed air energy storage (CAES) has the potential to solve both peaking and baseline problems. Instead of storing excess energy in a battery, CAES systems allow you to store surplus energy during low-demand hours in the form of compressed air.

What are the most cost-effective energy storage technologies?

PSH (Pumped Hydropower Storage) and CAES (Compressed Air Energy Storage) are the most cost-effective energy storage technologies evaluated within this report, on a $/kWh basis.