World’s First Offshore Compressed-Air Energy Storage in Underwater Bags

Jan 23, 2016

Hydrostor, a Canadian start-up, located in Toronto, is planning to introduce the first ever commercially available compressed air energy storage system, which will operate underwater. Big energy bags that resemble balloons will be fixed at the bottom of the Lake Ontario – one of the five Great Lakes of North America. 

The balloons will be filled with compressed air, using the excess electricity; the air will be converted back to power through a huge turboexpander whenever needed. The compressed air remains inside the underwater balloons and will be used during Toronto’s peak energy hours.

The process is claimed to be one of the cheapest forms of energy storage available. Submerged bags of air could turn wind and solar power into round-the-clock resources. The innovative solution could be half the cost of the best battery technology and lasts twice as long. 

The company says its system is now commercially available, available in configurations from 5 ~30 MWh up to more than 100MW/1,000MWh. The storage system combined with renewable energy provides an economically sound alternative to fossil fuel generation. The idea is efficient at energy storage, and an environmentally friendly, zero-emissions solution.

Source:http://www.rcinet.ca/en/2015/11/18/worlds-first-bagged-electricity-underwater/