Is it Possible to Store and Transport Solar Energy?

The world currently generates an excess of solar energy, but it is challenging to store it. Innovators are still creating new technologies that can harvest solar energy and keep it for use later to make the process more efficient. While this technology is still in its early stages, researchers believe that developing storage units with high-efficiency rates could potentially provide renewable power to hundreds of millions of people.

With this in mind, we still believe that the most efficient solution is to have a solar panel matrix installed above your roof at the right angle. Golden, CO has a tremendous amount of solar energy supply, making it easy to generate enough electricity to power your home.

But still, the future of solar energy storage looks bright, even if we’re still “not there” yet. Future innovations are already in testing phases include batteries that can store high quantities of solar energy, making solar farm ownership and investment a profitable investment.

UC USA has a great post about existing technologies that can store solar energy. Read more about them below.

Energy storage technologies

Different energy storage technologies contribute to electricity stability by working at various stages of the grid, from generation to consumer end-use.

Thermal Storage

Thermal storage is used for electricity generation by using power from the sun, even when the sun is not shining. Concentrating solar plants can capture heat from the sun and store the energy in water, molten salts, or other fluids. This stored energy is later used to generate electricity, enabling the use of solar energy even after sunset.

Plants like these are currently operating or proposed in California, Arizona, and Nevada. For example, the proposed Rice Solar Energy Project in Blythe, California will use a molten salt storage system with a concentrating solar tower to provide power for approximately 68,000 homes each year.

Thermal storage technologies also exist for end-use energy storage. One method is freezing water at night using off-peak electricity, then releasing the stored cold energy from the ice to help with air conditioning during the day.

For example, Ice Energy’s Ice Bear system creates a block of ice at night, and then uses the ice during the day to condense the air conditioning system’s refrigerant. In this way, the Ice Bear system shifts the building’s electricity consumption from the daytime peak to off-peak times when the electricity is less expensive. Additionally, the Bonneville Power Administration is conducting a pilot program on storing excess wind generation in residential water heaters.

Compressed Air

Compressed Air Energy Storage (CAES) also works as a generation storage technology by using the elastic potential energy of compressed air to improve the efficiencies of conventional gas turbines. 

CAES systems compress air using electricity during off-peak times, and then store the air in underground caverns. During times of peak demand, the air is drawn from storage and fired with natural gas in a combustion turbine to generate electricity. (Continued)

If you have yet to find a reliable Golden, CO solar panel installation team, you can always count on us at Roper Roofing & Solar. Our team of highly-experienced solar panel installation team can provide you with the best solutions for your residential solar energy needs. Contact us today.