Plans to build the first long-duration liquid air energy storage system in the United States are under way. The minimum 50-megawatt facility expected to provide more than eight hours of storage — 400 megawatt hours — is being planned for northern Vermont.
Long-duration energy storage company Highview Power Storage and renewable energy project developer Encore Renewable Energy announced the utility-scale project this week.
Highview Power says its proprietary liquid air energy storage system, called CRYOBattery, uses excess or off-peak electricity to clean and compress air, which gets stored in liquid form inside insulated tanks at extremely cold temperatures.
“Air turns to liquid when cooled down to -196°C (-320°F), and can then be stored very efficiently in insulated, low pressure vessels,” Highview Power’s site explains. “Exposure to ambient temperatures causes rapid re-gasification and a 700-fold expansion in volume, which is then used to drive a turbine and create electricity without combustion.”
Energy generated from the turning turbine can then be used at peak times, the company said.
In October, London-based Highview Power expressed plans to roll out cryogenic energy storage projects across the United Kingdom, PV Magazine reported. The company expects that its Vermont project will be the first of many in the United States.
“The Vermont facility will contribute to resolving the longstanding energy transmission challenges surrounding the state’s Sheffield-Highgate Export Interface and enable the efficient transport of excess power from renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind power to help integrate them on the power grid,” Highview Power and Encore Renewable Energy said.
Citing Wood Mackenzie Power & Renewables analysis, the two companies noted that the US energy storage market is expected to grow to nearly $5.4 billion by 2024, mainly driven by utility-scale projects.
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