Tokyo compressed air energy storage project sonar cavity

What is compressed air energy storage (CAES)?

Among the different ES technologies, compressed air energy storage (CAES) can store tens to hundreds of MW of power capacity for long-term applications and utility-scale. The increasing need for large-scale ES has led to the rising interest and development of CAES projects.

How does a compressed air storage device work?

When releasing energy, the compressed air stored in the storage device enters the air turbine to expand and work to generate electricity, in which the internal and potential energy contained in the compressed air is reconverted into electrical or mechanical energy.

Where is compressed air stored?

Compressed air is stored in underground caverns or up ground vessels , . The CAES technology has existed for more than four decades. However, only Germany (Huntorf CAES plant) and the United States (McIntosh CAES plant) operate full-scale CAES systems, which are conventional CAES systems that use fuel in operation , .

Will compressed air storage endanger the human environment?

Generally speaking, compressed air storage will not endanger the human environment due to gas leakage, and the comprehensive ground conditions should focus on the purpose of CAES power plant construction and its requirements for the ground environment.

Which energy storage technology has the lowest cost?

The “Energy Storage Grand Challenge” prepared by the United States Department of Energy (DOE) reports that among all energy storage technologies, compressed air energy storage (CAES) offers the lowest total installed cost for large-scale application (over 100 MW and 4 h).

What is a 300 MW compressed air energy storage power station?

Aerial view of 300 MW compressed air energy storage power station in Yingcheng, Hubei. The project constructs a 300 MW (1500 MWh) non-supplementary fired CAES power generation system. The compression system adopts eight large turbine compressor units arranged in double rows and four compressor units in series in a single row.