Spark Tank! How Do We Solve the Energy Storage Problem?
Jun 30, 2022
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Dr. Leah Stokes and Shayle Kann discuss energy storage solutions including pumped hydro, compressed air, and molten salts. They explore innovative technologies, investments, and the challenges of transitioning to renewable energy sources, making the topic engaging and informative.
Pumped hydro storage offers a simple and efficient solution by pushing water uphill to store energy and letting it run back down to generate electricity.
Compressed air energy storage involves pressurizing and storing energy underground, offering scalability and reusing oil and gas technologies.
Deep dives
Pumped Hydro Storage: Energy Storage by Pushing Water Up and Down a Hill
Pumped hydro storage involves pushing water uphill to store energy and then letting it run back down to generate electricity, offering a simple and efficient solution. The technology, exemplified by Northfield Mountain in Western Massachusetts, can power about a million homes for eight hours when the reservoir is full, with an efficiency of about 75%.
Compressed Air Energy Storage: Storing Energy Underground in an Underground Cavern
Compressed air energy storage involves creating an underground cavern, pumping air into it to pressurize and store energy underneath water. The air, pressurized to six times the pressure of Earth's atmosphere, can be released to generate electricity by spinning a turbine, offering scalability and the reuse of oil and gas technologies.
Molten Salt Energy Storage: Storing Energy as Heat with Molten Salts
Molten salt energy storage focuses on using molten salts, heated to over 500 degrees Celsius, to store excess energy, featuring scalability and utility for different applications. The technology can provide clean electricity by boiling water to spin a turbine, as well as offer high-temperature heat directly for industrial processes and heating homes, with about 80 to 90% energy efficiency.
Investment Decisions: Deploying Funds for Future Energy Storage Solutions
Both judges opt to not invest in pumped hydro storage due to scalability limitations, with one judge directing two-thirds of funds towards compressed air energy storage for its promising long-duration solution and potential scalability, and the other judge allocating all funds to compressed air energy storage for its scalability, reuse of existing technologies, and potential for industrial heat applications.
...Exciting, right? Ok, we’ll prove it to you. Each day, more and more of our electricity comes from intermittent renewables like wind and solar. To balance out our electric grid in the future, we’ll need new ways of storing extra energy, so we can still turn on our lights when the wind isn’t blowing and the sun isn’t shining. This week, with help from Dr. Leah Stokes and Shayle Kann, we explore the wild world of energy storage, from a hidden underground lair to a piping hot thermos full of poison. And did we mention it’s a gameshow?
Guests
Dr. Leah Stokes, Professor of Climate and Energy Policy at University of California, Santa Barbara
Shayle Kann, Climate Tech Investor at Energy Impact Partners
Len Greene, Director of Government Affairs and Communications, FirstLight Power
We still want to see your climate Venn diagrams! For inspiration, check out ClimateVenn.info. Post your diagram to Instagram and tag us at @how2saveaplanet. We’ll be reposting examples listeners share with us!
This episode of How to Save a Planet was produced by Daniel Ackerman. The rest of our reporting and producing team includes Kendra Pierre-Louis, Rachel Waldholz and Anna Ladd. Our supervising producer is Matthew Shilts. Our editor is Caitlin Kenney. Our intern is Janae Morris. Sound design and mixing by Peter Leonard with original music from Emma Munger. Our fact checker for this episode was James Gaines.