Energy

The green energy revolution continues to accelerate - solar parks are a familiar sight all over the world. But China wants to take solar energy to a whole new level. The nation’s ambition is to put a solar power station in orbit by 2050, a solar space farm. Solar Space Farm With this solar space farm, China will have access to the most reliable source of renewable energy, since the sun always shines in space. If this costly and challenging plan will work, it will make China the first nation to harness the sun’s energy in space and beam it to Earth. Are solar space farms the answer to our prayers or a mission impossible? Solar Energy: The Inexhaustible Source It seems to be a great idea: a solar space farm as an inexhaustible source of energy. "You don’t have to deal with the day and night cycle, and you don’t have to deal with clouds or seasons, so you end up having eight to nine times more solar power available to you," said Ali Hajimiri, a professor of electrical engineering at the California Institute of Technology and director of the university’s Space Solar Power Project for solar space farms. ( Recommended: Solar Energy Turned Into Liquid Fuel Can Be Stored For 18 Years ) Energy Demands So why haven’t anyone thought of this before? Well, the thought of using solar space farms is nothing new. The idea was very vivid in the 1970s. The research stalled mainly because the technological demands of a solar power station in space were thought to be too complicated. But nowadays, there is a massive progression in technology compared to a few years ago. The improvements in the design and efficiency of photovoltaic cells and advances in wireless transmission are making it possible to pick up where researchers left off. How much of a difference will these improvements make? Asked John Mankins, a physicist who led the agency’s efforts in the field in the 1990s before NASA abandoned the investigation. “We’re seeing a bit of a resurgence now, and it’s probably because the ability to make solar farms in space is there, thanks to new technologies."   According to Mankins, there is another factor driving the revived interest in this kind of renewable power. The world’s population is growing – it’s expected to swell to 9 billion by 2050. Space-based solar power can become essential to meet the energy demands of people in parts of the world that aren’t mainly sunny. “If you look at the next 50 years, the energy demand is stupendous. If you can harvest sunlight with solar farms in space where the sun is always shining and deliver it with essentially no interruptions to Earth — and you can do all that at an affordable price, you win." {youtube}                                                       Solar Farms In Space: Next Step In Renewable Energy                                                                                Solar Space Farm: Is The Mission Impossible? Details of China’s plan remain a secret. According to Mankins, the nation can 'launch tens of thousands of 'solar satellites' that would link up to form an enormous cone-shaped structure that orbits about 22,000 miles above Earth. They would be covered with photovoltaic panels to convert sunlight into energy, which would be beamed wirelessly to ground-based receivers. Such a solar facility could generate a steady flow of 2,000 gigawatts of power.’ There are still some hurdles to overcome, like the weight of the solar panels. ( Recommended: Waste In Space Will Be Fetched By The Cubesail carbage Truck ) It will also cost billions of dollars to make these solar farms in space happen. The research, the tests, and the solar satellites itself (price tag: about ten billion each) will make this a costly project. China hasn’t revealed how much it’s spending to develop its solar power stations. Still, the China Daily reported that the nation is already building a test facility in the southwestern city of Chongqing. It doesn’t seem like a mission impossible. China is taking a key position in the development of solar farms in space. According to John Mankins, a solar power station in space is a beautiful thing. “For a lot of locations, rooftop solar is fabulous, but a lot of the world is not like Arizona (or other sunny places). Millions of people live where large, ground-based solar arrays are not economical,” he said. Mankins hailed recent developments in the field and said he is keen to follow China’s new initiative. What do you think - is this the next step in renewable energy? Before you go! Recommended:  Recycling Human Waste In Space Into Plastic Tools And Food Did you find this an interesting article, or do you have a question or remark? Leave a comment below. We try to respond the same day. Like to write your article about green energy from space? Click on  'Register'  or push the button 'Write An Article' on the  'HomePage.'

Nothing great has come from the nominator ‘concrete block’. We associate it with big, ugly looking buildings, or boring grey areas of the neighborhood. This negative rep is about to change, and we have a Swiss company to thank for it. Concrete Blocks Help To Store Energy: Energy Vault In a world that is collapsing under its consumption of fossil fuels, we are struggling to find a worthy alternative. Renewable energy is on the rise, but still battling its most prominent problem: energy storage. When the wind stops blowing and the sun stops shining, the energy flow from windmills and solar panels stops. And the excess energy generated cannot yet be stored in bulk, providing enough for us to get by on while we wait for the wind to pick up or the sun to start shining again. Photo by Energy Vault. Cranes and concrete blocks. Meet Energy Vault, a company from Switzerland that is looking to revolutionize the world of energy storage. Their plan is to provide a low-cost solution for both governments and commercial enterprises to store energy as generated from renewable sources. They received various awards and honors for this work, including the World-Changing Ideas Award and a mention in the World Economic Forum Technology Pioneers of 2020 list. As fossil fuel consumption has dropped pretty significantly during the recent COVID-19 pandemic and demand for renewables continues to rise, this might just be their time to shine. R ecommended:  Great Renewable Energy  Storage : Compressed Air Concrete Blocks Store Energy Potential energy is stored using a stack of concrete blocks. With this premise, Energy Vault is geared up and ready to start testing using two full-scale models in Italy and India. Quite a big leap for a small company that only started two years ago, following the founder’s vision that there should be a way for renewable energy to be stored more efficiently. Graph by Energy Vault. 35 MWh storage. The dream here is that a solar panel farm in Rome, for instance, generates energy as the sun shines over the Italian land. Some of these generated energy would then be fed to a concrete block storage facility. Then, when the sun goes down or clouds roll in, this facility could take over the job of energy distribution. Recommended:  Home Solar Energy Storage By Nissan Store Energy With Concrete Blocks: How It Works The picture is alluring. In their initial designs, Energy Vault came up with a six-armed crane, standing tall at close to 120 meters, hoisting special concrete blocks that weigh about 35,000 kilograms each. As the energy comes in, it will be used to lift the blocks up in the air. Eventually, they will be, or so the company claims, “ returned to the ground and the kinetic energy generated from the falling brick is turned back into electricity .” {youtube}                                                                         Energy Vault 3D Simulation   This kinetic energy powers a motor, after which the energy is inverted and sent back to the grid. According to Energy Vault, this leads to a “ round-trip efficiency between 80 to 90 percent ,” meaning that 80 to 90 percent of the ‘original’ energy is re-created. Simple, yet efficient, so it seems. And the best part? The towers are very scalable, allowing for different storage capacities. We are curious to see what happens in Italy and India. Cover photo by Artem Beliaikin Before you go! Recommended:  Hydrogen Is The Fuel Of The Future: Questions & Answers Did you find this article about hydrogen energy in the Netherlands interesting? Or do you have a question or remark? Leave a comment below. We try to respond the same day. Like to write your article about energy storage? Click on  'Register'  or push the button 'Write An Article' on the  'HomePage.'

Europe can score with geothermal energy, says geologist Jon Limberger. Recently he got awarded a PhD in Utrecht (the Netherlands) for a study on this subject. Good news. Inexhaustible Geothermal Energy: Is It A Good Alternative? The wind, you feel when you have to struggle against it on the bike. The sun glows on the skin in the summer. Logically, therefore, windmills and solar panels appear all over the world. The forces of nature report themselves, as an inexhaustible clean source of energy. They replace dirty coal, oil and natural gas. "What fascinates me," says geologist Jon Limberger (31), "is that there is still another great renewable energy source." It's under our feet, miles in the bottom. Heat, stored in water reservoirs. Even if companies would only pump a fraction of it up, the PhD student discovered that this would provide enough energy for the entire world. In this the soil does not differ much from wind and sunshine. Geothermal Energy Is Still In Its Infancy "The pinch is in the actual winning of the energy," says Limberger. How this can be done with geothermal heat, also known as geothermal energy, he describes in the study with which he is currently awarded a PhD at the University of Utrecht (the Netherlands). The deeper the heat is hidden, the higher the costs. The best opportunities are there in countries with active, preferably volcanic soil. The Geysirs of the Haukadalur Geothermal Area (Geysir Strokkur) - Island/ Iceland {youtube} Iceland therefore counts as the Mecca of geothermal energy. Nearly all households are already warming themselves with soil energy, says Limberger, who made a study trip with knowledge institute TNO (Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research). The Italian volcano region of Tuscany also belongs to the top scouts with geothermics. "Turkey is the rising star with geothermal energy," says Limberger. Just like the border area between France and Germany, because there are fault lines that are favorable for soil energy. Geothermal area Toscana (Italy) The PhD research of Limberger contains nice prospects for the Netherlands. Based on his calculations, the geologist estimates that the Netherlands is ideally suited for geothermal energy. "We are in a favorable delta." There seems to be heat in the soil, about 100 degrees Celsius at three kilometers depth. Also important: the Netherlands is densely populated. The costs of transporting geothermal energy to homes, horticultural greenhouses and offices are therefore relatively low. Geothermal area Pamukkale (Turkey) There are already heat networks in various places in the Netherlands. They are still getting heat from polluting factories. Geothermal energy can replace this. The Netherlands also benefits from all previous drilling for natural gas. "There is extraordinary knowledge of the subsurface," says Limberger. Other European countries have less soil information, or only strict secrecy. Dutch companies can easily request it. The first geothermal heat projects are already in the Netherlands. Furthermore, 48 companies now have permission to search for heat. They have an official search license for that. It always remains to be seen whether there really is a source of heat where you expect. Geothermal Energy For The Earthquake-Ridden Groningen  The government also provides a guarantee for mis-drilling. "A good thing," says Limberger. According to him, teething problems occur with every new technique. A bankruptcy, as happened with the pioneering compagny ‘Aardwarmte’ Den Haag, is, according to Limberger, no reason to lose faith in geothermal energy. The costs must be reduced. That will happen, predicts the PhD student, through experience and better technology. Geothermal energy is still expensive in Europe, but in 2030 and 2050 it looks bright. It was scaring, but not baffling that oil and gas were coming up at the very first drillings. Technically speaking, a heat drilling appears to be a gas drilling. The earthquake-ridden Groningen wants geothermal energy instead of natural gas. Solar panels  and  wind turbines PhD student Limberger thinks that geothermal energy can be a wonderful addition to clean energy from solar panels and wind turbines. The sun only shines during the day, especially in the summer. The wind does not always blow. "That is the nice thing about geothermal heat: you can use it 24 hours a day." Bottom water where the heat has been extracted goes back into the soil, where it can warm up again. Geothermal power plant graphic Those who drill deeper than four kilometers officially do 'ultra-deep geothermal energy'. That is more expensive than a normal bore, which also costs a few million euros. The yield is higher. The rule of thumb for Dutch soil is: with every kilometer the temperature rises by 30 degrees Celsius. Ultradiep is the heat source about 130 to 250 degrees Celsius. That is so hot that you can do more with it than just heat heat a greenhouse or house . "You can also make electricity from ultra-deep heat," says Limberger. The heat can make a generator run, which produces power. It is therefore conceivable that clean electricity from the socket will not only come from the wind or the sun in the future, but deep from the bottom. Technically it is possible, says the geologist. And maybe it does not take a long time. It seems to Limberger something, to use such a current at home. Now it becomes even more technical, but perhaps even more interesting. What is also possible is to convert the energy the other way around. So: from electricity from the energy grid to heat. Then you can convert wind and solar energy into heat. "So you can keep it in the groundwater and pump it up if necessary," says Limberger. There is still a lot of energy loss. There are more technical hooks and eyes that might be solved. The energy sector would jump a hole in the air. Green electricity is still difficult to store. In the summer, the Netherlands produces the most solar power, while the demand for energy in the winter is high. Companies build large batteries to store energy. But, says the PhD student, perhaps the very best, natural buffer vessel for energy is now under our feet. Before you go! Recommended:  Home Solar Energy Storage By Nissan Did you find this an interesting article, or do you have a question or remark? Leave a comment below. We try to respond the same day. Like to write your article about renewable energy? Click on  'Register'  or push the button 'Write An Article' on the  'HomePage.'

There are plenty of reasons why you might find yourself having to look into a foldable solar panel. Perhaps you own a mobile home or RV and are you looking to get yourself some green energy while out camping in the middle of nowhere. It would certainly make your trip a lot better if you do not have to rely on outside electricity sources.   10 Foldable Solar Panel Reviews Soon after starting your foldable solar panel search, you will find yourselves swamped with the options. They all claim to be ‘the best’ and boast ‘unique features.’ This will do the job of comparing them a lot harder. Thankfully, we are here with a buying guide. What do you have to look out for when purchasing one of those babies, and which one is best for you? We lined up ten candidates for you to choose from.   1. KINGSOLAR Portable Solar Panel Eco-friendly High efficiency Portable and lightweight Support simultaneous charging of devices Rugged durability Charging efficiency is dependent on the weather The KINGSOLAR is uniquely designed for outdoor trips, as shown by its rugged exterior. It is scratch-proof and can withstand all outside elements. It will be keeping your devices charged for when you need them the most. It is pretty affordable while boasting a high-quality standard - I dare say that its efficiency is amongst the best, with a power conversion rate of up to 23.5%.   You can charge multiple devices at the same time, using both a USB port and a DC port. Handy, especially as it is portable and lightweight, so easy to fit in your backpack for a day of hiking or fishing. The one downside would be that it is not performing so well in cloudy weather circumstances; it relies on direct sunlight exposure.   £29.99. To purchase, please click on the shopping button 2. ROCKPALS Foldable Solar Panel High power conversion rate 3 USB port for simultaneous charging Durable construction Waterproof design Portable and lightweight Customer support is a little hard to reach The ROCKPALS is another excellent addition to your hiking or camping gear. Its design is waterproof, making sure that it does not crash in the rain or after falling in a river. Its efficiency is top-notch, coming in at a power conversion rate of up to 23.5% - getting your devices charged quickly enough. It has 3 USB ports, which means that your family will only need one to keep going. It is foldable, making it easy to stash in your luggage, while its exterior is sturdy and durable. You can even zip it up in a protective case to make sure it is ready when you need it the most. One small downside is that the customer support center does not seem to enjoy talking to customers and are very hard to reach. Not a problem as long as ROCKPALS delivers on its potential, though. £194.35. To purchase, please click on the shopping button 3.  DOKIO 200W Solar Panel 12V Monocrystalline foldable with Inverter Charge Controller Compact and foldable Offers high charging efficiency Provides full protection for your devices Proper warrant and responsive customer service Easy to set-up The solar panel is fully waterproof The  DOKIO  is compact and foldable, making sure that your devices are protected while charging due to the built-in overcharge and overload switches. It does a great job of charging two devices at the same time. Handy if you are looking to charge both your laptop and phone. This solar panel photovoltaic packs 200W of power yet is only 2.4cm thick and weighs only 4.1kg. As it folds into a neat little suitcase, you will find it the perfect traveling companion. And if something goes wrong and it does not live up to expectations, you will be happy to see that the SUAOKI has an extensive 24-month product warranty, that the delightful and responsive customer service is glad to set you up with. One downside? It is not fully waterproof, which might be a must for the avid outdoorsman. £199.77. To purchase, please click on the shopping button 4. Renogy Foldable Solar Panel Includes charge controller High-efficiency solar panel Adjustable legs Durable construction LCD feature The product does not have a good warranty The Renogy stands in stark contrast to the previous solar panels mentioned. Let’s start with the significant downside: the warranty is not too high, which means you have to rely on it to keep on doing its job. Thankfully, the odds are in your favor when it comes to this. Renogy is a well-known name in the industry that delivers high-efficiency and durable solar panels. A huge pro is that it also functions in dim light conditions. The product is designed to last a long time, with high-quality materials used throughout for its construction. It is also immensely customer-friendly, boasting adjustable legs for getting that optimal angle, a charge controller, and an LCD feature showing the state and condition of your battery. £169.99. To purchase, please click on the shopping button 5.  TP-solar 60 Watt Foldable Solar Panel Charger Kit for Portable Generator Power Station Smartphones Laptop Car Boat RV Trailer 12v Battery Charging (Dual 5V USB & 18V DC Output) High conversion efficiency Has multiple USB ports for simultaneous charging Portable design for easy transport Easy to set up  Durable construction for long service life The solar panel does not come with clear instructions TP-Solar is another well-known brand in the industry. Their foldable solar panel is another high-quality, top-performance product. Its conversion rate is steady at 23%, so you can use multiple USB ports to charge your devices rapidly. After folding it, a handy handle appears, which makes it easy to carry around and bring with you on your camping trip. USB Smart Charging Technology: Dual USB Ports QC3.0 & 2.0 (5V/9V/12V 2A max), Made for smartphones and tablets You can customize the set-up any way you want. The kickstand can be adjusted to allow it to capture the maximum amount of sunlight. It does take some figuring out to get the hang of this, though, as the instructions provided are far from clear. £134.94. To purchase, please click on the shopping button 6. Bigblue Foldable Solar Panel Has a built-in ammeter Exclusive smart IC technology Rugged durability for guaranteed longevity Good warranty and reliable customer service Portable Product is not fully waterproof Bigblue provides another foldable solar panel. Its compactness and foldability make it easy to bring with you whenever you go off the grid. One of its unique features is the built-in ammeter, which means that you never have to guess second if your solar panel is being charged: the display shows exactly how much power it has received from sunlight. Another unique feature is the so-called smart IC technology.   Essentially, this smart chip detects each device and plots the best charging strategy, while protecting it from overcharging or overloading—a great extra. The Bigblue also ticks all the boxes for rugged exterior, durability, portability, and warranty. There’s just a small ‘but’: you may have to keep it away from water and rain, as its USB ports and ammeter are not water-resistant. £63.00. To purchase, please click on the shopping button 7. ECO-WORTHY Foldable Solar Panel High-efficiency solar panel Portable and ultra-lightweight Durable construction for long service life Affordable Eco-friendly This product is not weather-resistant   ECO-WORTHY boasts a 20% power output in desirable weather conditions, making it a decent choice for your foldable solar panel. Adding to this consideration, you ought to acknowledge its portability and ultra-lightweight. The dual USB ports and connector cables are easy to use and will charge any device that needs juice when you need it. While the materials used are very durable, they do not appear to be weather-resistant. If you are planning to stay outdoors in potentially bad weather, including rain, you may find that this is not the solar panel for you. The affordability and durability make up for some of this, though. £149.99. To purchase, please click on the shopping button 8.  ADDTOP Solar Charger 25000mAh Portable Solar Power Bank Reliable and durable Cool design Environment-friendly Foldable and moveable Budget-friendly Quality issues With the ADDTOP, you will go as green as you can. Its design and construction are environment-friendly, while the model is still foldable and fancy-looking. It weighs less than five pounds and is small enough to fit in your luggage without you even noticing that it is there. It has three panels that can easily be adjusted for optimal sunlight reception and comes with several glass attachment suction cups and two carabiners that allow you to stick it to your car window or hook it on your backpack. While other foldable solar panels often come in plain, dull blacks and greys, the ADDTOP is refreshingly popping green. Not quite so refreshing are the quality issues that have been reported, making it far from a sturdy choice. Regardless, it comes at a budget price, so you should not complain at the little hiccup here and there. £38.99. To purchase, please click on the shopping button 9. TWELSEAVAN 100W Solar Panel Portable Solar Charger   Ultra-compact and uber thin Heavy-duty material used for the solar panel Above-average conversion rate Smart IC chip USB port for all modern devices The TWELSEAVAN is quite the mouthful in word, yet it is decisively compact. It is super thin and small enough to fit in any bag - or to carry around using the durable rubber handle that is included. It weighs no more than 8.4 pounds and is 1 inch thick, making it an excellent gadget for hikers or outdoorsmen. The materials used are top-notch, with the back made of resilient polyester canvas and the panel created using industrial-strength PET. This combination of materials can help in withstanding even the worst of weather elements. All the while, it converts energy at a rate of 21-23 percent, which can be used to charge devices through a dual 5V and 18V USB port. The smart chip inside the USB port is capable of identifying the device and control the amount of voltage transmitted. Just be careful when carrying it around in the suitcase - it may not be waterproof. £293.60. To purchase, please click on the shopping button 10.  RAVPower UK RP-PC005(B) Solar Charger 24W Solar Panel with Triple USB Ports Above-average charging time iSmart technology Weatherproof Panels are well protected Durable Interruptions in solar charging will cause iPhone phones to stop charging; an unplug and re-plug is required Last but certainly not least. The RAVPower Solar Charger is a 24 watts solar panel with above-average charging time and a below-average size. It is super compact yet extremely powerful, providing an energy conversion of up to 23.5% on the go to two USB-ports simultaneously. Add to this the iSmart technology that automatically adjusts the optimal charging current to your devices so that no energy is wasted whatsoever, and it is easy to see why people are so excited about this one. It is well-built and reliable, with the panels well-protected and all elements fully weatherproof. The quality seems unparalleled, with a charging time that comes close to the one you may know from home. Yet there have been mentions of charging interruptions, where you have to unplug and re-plug devices to continue the charge—a small downside to an otherwise excellent device. £50.99. To purchase, please click on the shopping button Who Needs A Solar Panel? If you are still left curious after this review, you may be interested in finding out more about foldable solar panels. As technology advanced, we have been able to reduce the size of the solar panels, up to the point that they are now fully portable and potentially foldable. These smaller versions do not produce nearly as much energy, but they are decent enough for a quick charge - great for people who enjoy being outdoors and who travel or hike a lot. This makes them very appealing to a target group of campers, hikers, fishers, travelers, and RV-owners. These smaller solar panels are doing the same as the larger versions perched on our homes and buildings. The photovoltaic cells capture and convert sunlight, turning it in energy. The one difference is that these are more compact. They usually come with all kinds of handy extras, including kickstands, handlebars, window sucking cups, lanyards, or carrying cases. Sturdy and rugged is another essential trait, as they need to be taken around in - sometimes - rough weather conditions. Various Solar Panel Types Foldable solar panels come in different types, just like their bigger brothers. This includes crystalline solar panels , which are popular for their higher energy efficiency and more excellent durability. These do need direct exposure to sunlight, though. Another type is the monocrystalline solar panel , made of pure silicon. They are strikingly black, heat-tolerant, and capable of performing during low-light conditions. They are also amongst the most expensive types. A third type is the polycrystalline solar panels . These have a striking blue color and a square-wafer appearance. They are only partly made of silicon, which gives them a lower energy efficiency and lower heat tolerance. On the other hand, this does mean that they are cheaper and hailing from a smoother manufacturing process. Finally, there are the thin-film solar panels . These panels combine various materials, including some cheaper ones - making them more cost-effective yet lower in power efficiency—a popular option for many who do not require a lot of electricity and a budget price. Portable Solar Panel: Advantages And Disadvantages All good and well, but why would you be using a foldable solar panel? Do you need one? Well, some distinct advantages could make them worth your money. These include: Portability. Easy to take with you! Convenience. Energy everywhere, anytime. Cost-efficiency. Save costs on electricity and gas. Eco-friendliness. Renewable energy! Ease of use. Simple and straightforward. Silent. No moving parts, thus no sound. While celebrating those pluses, one should be blind to the disadvantages, either. These will ultimately determine whether portable solar panels are something for you. Lower power efficiency. It can only power specific devices. Sun reliance. Without the sun, no electricity. Expense. Not a cheap gadget by any means.   So, if you are not bothered by the low power efficiency, need for sunlight, and relatively significant upfront investment, you just might have found yourself in the market. How To Choose A Portable Solar Panel After establishing that the pros listed above outweigh the cons for your purpose, it is time to decide which one is right for you. You have to look at three variables: its wattage, its voltage, and its size and weight.   Wattage first. This determines how many devices you can charge, and for how many hours you can charge them. A 100 watts panel should suffice for most, as it is capable of powering most devices. Only if you plan on powering larger equipment, like TVs, cookers, and fridges, you may consider a 200 or 300 watts panel.   For smaller, fewer devices - like laptops, smartphones, and tablets -, 60 watts could be enough. Are you only looking to power up something tiny, like flashlights or Android phones? Then you might be okay with the cheapest 5 watts panel. Next is the voltage. Your ideal solar panel works with the right amount of voltage for your device. There are panels available for 5V, 12V and 18V. 5V is only suitable for small appliances, like flashlights and Android phones. 12V will power up LED lights, while 18V is needed to power your laptop, tablet, and more. Finally, size and weight play an important role if you plan on taking the solar panel with you on trips. If you are going to hike or carry it around with you, otherwise, a smaller and lighter version would be recommended. Whereas for use in an RV or mobile home, a slightly bigger and heavier tablet would not be much of an issue.   Conclusion   There is no ‘favorite’ foldable solar panel, nor is there a set way of determining which is right for you. You have to keep on looking at the pros and cons while being mindful of your requirements in terms of wattage, voltage, and size and weight. Also, make sure that the disadvantages of each solar panel are not an absolute dealbreaker for you. Going fishing with a panel that is not waterproof would not be the most excellent idea. Get informed and act accordingly. That is what it is about! WhatsOrb cannot be held responsible for price changes, out-of-stock of products, and material or color differences. All information is provided by third parties. Recommended:  Tiny Houses Tips And Tricks: Minimalistic Living Experience Did you find this an interesting article, or do you have a question or remark? Leave a comment below. We try to respond the same day. Like to write your article about portable solar panels?  Click on  'Register'  or push the button 'Write An Article' on the  'HomePage.'

There is an ambitious project out there that is looking to store renewable energy while reducing emissions that are responsible for global warming. Recently, construction started on something that is slated to become the world’s most massive liquid air battery. If it works just like it was imagined, renewable energy might just be in for a revolution. Meet the CO2 killer. Storage As The Bottleneck Most forms of renewable energy are suffering from the same problem. While the sun is shining or the wind is blowing, there will be sufficient energy. Generally, more is generated than is consumed at the time. This is not the problem yet. There are times that the sun does not shine or the wind does not blow. No energy is created. Ideally, we would like to use the ‘extra’ energy generated in periods of heavy sunlight or wind speeds, but unfortunately, that is not as easy as it sounds. As it stands, we are mainly unable to store this excess renewable energy. That is the problem. Recommended:  Gravitricity: Key Energy Storage Or Too Good To Be True? This Manchester-area launched project takes this ‘extra’ green energy and uses it to compress air into a liquid. This liquid is subsequently stored. At times when demand exceeds supply, this liquid air will be released back into a gas, which is used to power a turbine that will ‘re-create’ the green energy - that can eventually be fed back into the grid. The liquid air storage facility in Manchester It might just be part of the solution to global warming. We need much more wind and solar energy, but the storage problem is a significant bottleneck. Now, a company named Highview Power is developing this battery, which is to be operational by 2022. At that time, the company predicts, it should be able to provide green energy to some 200,000 homes for five hours. Also, power could be stored for many weeks. {youtube}                                                                 Liquid Air Energy Storage | TTN Clips Storing Excess Energy The concept is not entirely new. Many have experimented with chemical batteries as a means of storing excess energy. While the battery’s prices have dropped significantly, they are still looking at a serious issue when it comes to the amount of energy that can be stored. Plus, they can be pretty polluting to make. The liquid air battery once again avoids these issues, as it can be constructed anywhere. Air is all around us and not a scarce resource. It is all that is needed. Recommended:  Blue Floating Energy: Wind, Solar, Hydrogen, Waves Recognizing its potential, the government of the UK has supported this project with a whopping £10 million grant, meant to set up the facility to house this exciting technology. The company estimates that they will need a total of £85 million to make the first facility in the Trafford Energy Park a reality. Most of it was funded through governments, although some private companies have pitched in as well. The United Kingdom Wants More Renewables It fits in rather well with the UK government’s mission to make its economy greener. As of now, only 30% of the total electricity grid is comprised of renewable energy. The reliance on fossil fuels is still too high, with all experts citing the storage-issue as having effectively capped renewable energy’s potential. The hole in the market for medium-to-long duration electricity storage technologies is glaring, while other technologies - including pumped hydro and gravity storage - are still at the infant stage. Graph storage liquid air The solution of liquid air storage is not just more developed; it might also be more scalable. This puts Highview Power in a high position. It is up to them to prove the technology’s worth in years to come. We are hopeful. Before you go! Recommended:  Home Solar Energy Storage By Nissan Did you find this an interesting article, or do you have a question or remark? Leave a comment below. We try to respond the same day. Like to write your article about renewable energy storage? Click on  'Register'  or push the button 'Write An Article' on the  'HomePage.'