My favorite solution for storage of excess power is closed loop pumped hydro. Two bodies of water of different elevations are connected by a generator/pump. When there is too much power, the pump moves the water to the higher lake. When the power is needed, the water flows through the generator to the lower lake.

[–] greysemanticist@lemmy.one 5 points 5 months ago (2 children)

This could also be made more "local" with https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compressed-air_energy_storage or https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermal_energy_storage and not reliant on the difference of elevations.

[–] IvanOverdrive@lemm.ee 3 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) (1 children)

I was talking with an engineer about using a closed loop hydro system at home, maybe in a tower. He said the water wouldn't have enough head to generate electricity. But that compressed air energy storage just might be the solution I was looking for.

[–] KillingTimeItself@lemmy.dbzer0.com 3 points 5 months ago

the other arguably more effective option for home use is dumping it into heat. Heating up water is a great heat storage solution for radiant heating for instance. Getting that energy back out is arguably harder, but hot water is also pretty useful, so.

[–] Dashmezzo@lemm.ee 2 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago)

Hydrogen fuel cells also. Use the excess to make hydrogen which is simple to store and then use it as a fuel to burn when you have demand. These have started to be put at the bottom of wind turbines so they don’t need to be stopped when the wind is blowing but there is no grid demand.

All these systems help balance the grid too meaning these renewables can be used as base loads instead of dirtier base load generators like coal or gas fire stations.

[–] KillingTimeItself@lemmy.dbzer0.com 5 points 5 months ago

pumped hydro is pretty slick but incredibly dependent on geology and ecosystem.

Thermal storage is a similar vein, you can even use water, we do use water for this even. Compressed air as suggested, i believe there's a mine somewhere in the US that's used a compressed air storage plant. And of course, motion, flywheels go hard i hear, but i find those to be less preferable, even if high energy density. I imagine those would work better at scale.

[–] Kyoyeou@slrpnk.net 2 points 5 months ago (1 children)

That was a very cool read!

[–] miningforrocks@lemmy.ml 1 points 5 months ago (1 children)

The only problem is that it is inefficient

[–] JoeBigelow@lemmy.ca 25 points 5 months ago (1 children)

It's more efficient than just dumping the energy, at least some is being stored

[–] miningforrocks@lemmy.ml 4 points 5 months ago

That's true