Wind power could be stored as ice

A perfect way of storing electricity generated by wind turbines has been elusive so far.  Ideas like super-sized batteries, compressed air, and hydroelectric storage have all been floated.  One company though thinks the answer could be as simple as making ice.

Calmac has come up with a storage system called IceBank that uses the energy generated at off-peak nighttime hours to make ice.  That stored ice is then used for cooling purposes during high-demand daytime hours.  The company claims that reducing electricity demand for cooling can cut energy costs by 20 to 40 percent.  That reduction also means fewer emissions from power plants.

This a great solution for harnessing wind power that might otherwise go to waste during night-time hours.  And it’s pretty low-tech — no need for lithium or rare earth minerals – just a souped up ice maker.

via Treehugger

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