CAES + RICE + EGR: a winning recipe for high efficiency

摘要

The use of compressed air in conjunction with reciprocating internal combustion engine (RICE) technology employing exhaust gas recirculation looks like a promising new concept for energy storage. The proposed technology (US patent applied for) can also enable combustion of up to 100% H_2 fuel in the engine - without major modifications. Carbon-free wind and solar power have increased their share in the generation portfolio dramatically. Advances made in the respective technologies have opened up the door to grid-scale generation at affordable cost even without subsidies. The Achilles' heel of both technologies is of course their inability to be available for dispatch when and where needed. The logical solution to this problem is to convert the power generated by wind or solar farms at times of low demand into stored energy, which can be readily dispatched when there is demand but not enough wind or solar power to meet it.