One critical problem that scientists are facing and trying to solve is the inability to store and transport solar energy to be used when it’s truly needed. Scientists suggest that to address this critical issue it is needed to have an aligned effort between research and practical innovations in the field, since the existing construction sites are ideal for further tests. After extensive research, they have concluded on four revolutionary energy storage solutions that are analyzed below.
Mechanical Energy Storage as is compressed air storage, gravity storage, flywheel energy storage and pumped heat electrical storage. In general, mechanical energy storage can be useful in construction fields, as the construction workers already use compressed air to power pneumatic tools, and they can be powered by the energy that is produced by wind farms. Furthermore, constructors can incorporate those methods into the initial building project and is the perfect solution for social facilities with constant and high demands of energy, e.g. hospitals. In particular, the way Mechanical Energy Storage methods work is the below:
Gravity storage technically converts potential energy from concrete or water that is elevated to electricity when it is needed just by lowering the weight. In addition, Flywheel energy storage is known as one of the most sustainable ways to store energy as it is one of the clearest. Practically, with this method surplus electrical energy is converted to kinetic energy in a frictionless vacuum by using a magnetic field. The last category of Mechanical Energy Storage is the pumped heat electrical storage which can resemble a refrigerator as it uses a heat pump to move heat between “hot storage” and “cold storage.
Electrochemical Battery Storage is one of the most common ways to store energy. As of present, in construction sites, to meet the need for electricity supply they rely on diesel or biodiesel. Recently, they have switched to using temporary solar panels as a more sustainable option, as they produce zero CO2 emissions. However, solar batteries are made from lithium and cobalt, which have an environmental impact during the mining process. However, scientists suggest two new types of batteries instead of the above.
First, they suggest flow batteries that can store extensive amounts of energy that can easily power thousands of homes. Altering and adapting this technology to construction sites gives an alternative option to avoid harmful ways to store energy. Flow batteries have two different substances indistinct tanks that are subjected to electrochemical reactions to transfer electrons. The only problem that scientists need to address is when the electrolytes in these batteries lose charge over time it is needed to use vanadium to make the battery functional again. However, vanadium is rare and difficult to extract. Therefore, scientists are seeking alternative materials to substitute vanadium and reduce environmental impacts.
The second alternative that they suggest is hemp batteries that are developed by the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee with the aid of WinBat. Hemp is an eco-friendly resource and a potent carbon absorber. When used in batteries, it can help reduce their environmental footprint.
Thermal Energy Storage is another innovative and revolutionary method for storing energy. This technique is based on the principle that heat can be stored in liquefied rock, sand, or water. This method has two applications. The Liquid-to-air transition energy storage that converts excess grid energy into liquid and then back into gas to power turbines is the first option. The second option is the thermal sand batteries store heat in sand, which can later be used to heat homes or other buildings.
Hydrogen Electrolysis is not exactly a storage solution, but it is a promising green energy technology. Hydrogen can generate electricity by breaking apart water molecules with near zero emissions.
Sources: altenergymag.com, weforum.org, rechargenews.com, cen.acs.org, danfoss.com, linde.com, power-technology.com
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