How to fix clean energy’s storage problem

Summary

The video script discusses the challenges of integrating renewable energy into California's power grid, highlighting the limitations of solar and wind power in meeting peak demands. It explores various energy storage solutions, including lithium-ion batteries, pumped storage hydro, and innovative alternatives like gravity energy storage and geomechanical pumped storage. The script emphasizes the need for diverse, efficient, and scalable solutions to reduce dependency on fossil fuels and support a sustainable energy future.

Takeaways

• 🌞 The demand for electricity in California peaks in the morning around 6 AM and again in the evening around 6 PM.
• 🌬 Wind power is variable and often contributes more to the grid at night when it picks up.
• ☀️ Solar panels generate electricity from morning until sunset, but they do not meet peak demands on their own.
• 🔥 Power companies rely on fossil fuels, such as natural gas, to cover the gap during peak demand times.
• 🔄 The inability to store solar and wind energy currently necessitates the use of fossil fuels for energy storage.
• 🔋 Batteries, particularly lithium-ion, have improved and are used for energy storage in individual homes with solar panels.
• 🚗 Lithium-ion batteries are not ideal for the grid due to scale, availability of lithium, and their suitability for mobile applications like electric cars.
• 🏞️ Pumped storage hydroelectric stations convert energy into potential energy by pumping water uphill during low demand, which can later be converted back into electricity.
• 💧 Pumped storage hydro has limitations due to the need for specific geographical features like mountains and the high costs involved.
• 🏗️ Energy Vault is developing 'gravity energy storage' that lifts concrete blocks to store energy, which can then be converted back to electricity when released.
• 🌋 Quidnet's 'geomechanical pumped storage' stores energy by pumping water underground, which can later be used to generate electricity.
• 🔥 Other companies are exploring thermal energy storage by superheating salt, and rust-based iron-air batteries that use the chemical reaction of rusting to store energy.
• 🌐 The future grid is likely to require a combination of different energy storage solutions to meet diverse needs and conditions.

Q & A

When does electricity demand typically start growing and peak on a spring day in California?

Electricity demand typically starts growing around 6 AM and peaks again around 6 PM on a spring day in California.

How do wind and solar power contribute to the California power grid throughout the day?

Wind power is variable but often picks up at night, while solar panels generate a lot of electricity from around 7 AM until the sun sets around 7 PM.

Why do power companies rely on fossil fuels despite the presence of wind and solar power?

Power companies rely on fossil fuels to meet the peak demands of the day because wind and solar power do not generate enough electricity to cover these peaks, and fossil fuels can be stored and used when needed.

What is the main challenge in using batteries to store solar and wind energy for the grid?

The main challenges are the large scale needed for grid storage, the limited availability of lithium, and the need for lithium-ion batteries in other applications like electric cars and portable electronics.

What is 'pumped storage hydro' and how does it work?

Pumped storage hydro is a type of energy storage where energy is used to pump water from a lower reservoir to a higher one. When energy is needed, the water is released back down to spin a turbine and generate electricity. This method converts energy into potential energy.

Why is it difficult to build more pumped storage hydro plants?

Building more pumped storage hydro plants is difficult because it requires a mountain, a lot of money, and the complex task of hollowing out the mountain to install pumps.

What is 'gravity energy storage' and how does it work?

Gravity energy storage uses renewable energy to lift heavy concrete blocks into the air, converting the energy into potential energy. When the energy is needed, the blocks are released to spin a turbine and generate electricity.

How does Quidnet's 'geomechanical pumped storage' work?

Quidnet's geomechanical pumped storage uses renewable energy to pump water underground into a pressurized hole. When energy is needed, the water is released back to the surface to spin a turbine and generate electricity.

What other potential solutions are there for storing renewable energy besides potential energy methods?

Other potential solutions include using renewable energy to superheat salt and store it as thermal energy, and using the chemical reaction that creates rust in iron-air batteries to store and discharge energy.

Why is it important to explore multiple solutions for storing renewable energy?

It is important to explore multiple solutions because one solution might not fit every power grid. A patchwork of solutions is needed to create a reliable and efficient grid for the future.