Energy Transmission and Storage

Once we have renewable energy in a usable form, we need ways to distribute and store it, since most forms of renewable energy are intermittent.

Smart grid technologies and high voltage DC cables allow us to build an efficient 21st century grid, and we can store renewable electricity using hydro dams, pumped hydro, flow batteries, compressed air, dynamic demand, modulated cold storage, batteries, super-capacitors, hydrogen, super-conductors, and flywheels.

Heat from solar applications can be stored in soil, rock, concrete, salt, and insulated tanks.

We can store electricity from renewable sources using:

  • Hydro dams
  • Pumped hydro
  • Flow batteries
  • Compressed air
  • Dynamic demand
  • Modulated cold storage
  • Batteries
  • Super-capacitors
  • Hydrogen
  • Super-conductors
  • Flywheels
  • Liquid air storage

See Into thin air: Storage salvation for green energy. New Scientist, Jan 8, 2013