Storing Clean Energy with Air & Water: Hydrostor’s Game-Changing Tech

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Feb 27, 2025

Curtis VanWalleghem, Co-Founder and CEO of Hydrostor, shares his journey from management consulting to pioneering compressed air energy storage. He explains how this innovative approach can stabilize renewable energy grids, providing a cost-effective alternative to lithium-ion batteries. The conversation covers engineering breakthroughs, site requirements, and operational strategies for autonomous energy plants. Curtis also discusses the future of energy storage and the vital policies needed to support renewable integration, offering a hopeful perspective on climate change activism.

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ANECDOTE

From Consulting to Hydrostor

Curtis VanWalleghem's experience at Bruce Power exposed him to the grid’s challenges with intermittent renewable energy sources.
This sparked the idea for Hydrostor, a solution beyond pumped hydro and batteries.

INSIGHT

Early Stages of Energy Storage

In 2010, the renewable energy and storage industry was nascent, with limited storage procurements.
Long-duration storage becomes crucial as wind and solar constitute a significant portion of non-baseload generation.

INSIGHT

How Hydrostor Works

Hydrostor uses compressed air energy storage (CAES) by compressing air and storing it underground.
It reuses the heat generated during compression, making it more efficient.

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In this episode of Hardware to Save a Planet, host Dylan Garrett sits down with Curtis VanWalleghem, Co-Founder and CEO of Hydrostor, to discuss how compressed air energy storage can revolutionize renewable energy. Hydrostor's innovative underground caverns store air and water to provide long-duration, cost-effective energy storage—solving the intermittency challenge in renewable grids. The conversation dives into engineering breakthroughs, economic advantages over batteries, and the policy shifts needed to enable 100% renewable energy.

Curtis VanWalleghem is the Co-Founder and CEO of Hydrostor, leading the company from technology development to commercial operations with a multi-gigawatt pipeline worldwide. Before Hydrostor, he was a Senior Manager at Deloitte’s Corporate Strategy Consulting Practice, advising top global energy companies. He also held roles at Bruce Power and Environmental Electric Company, working across the nuclear and wind energy sectors. With experience in over 10 countries, including volunteer work in India, Curtis combines technical expertise with strategic leadership.

Episode Resource

Curtis VanWalleghem on LinkedIn
Hydrostor Website
Dylan Garrett on LinkedIn
Synapse Website
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