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Energy Storage: Costly but Key to Power Production

Forbes -- Ever wish you could just bottle up those beautiful sun shinny days? Well, some companies are trying to do just — in the context of “energy storage.” Simply, that’s a technology that allows batteries or other devices to harness the wind and sun when they are abundant and to release that energy when they are not.

That would certainly help green energy make headway into markets, overcoming the argument that they are too unreliable. However, energy storage has other assets: If proven and cost effective, it would allow utilities to avoid investments in power plants as well as in transmission and distribution. It would also permit generators to operate more efficiently because they would run closer to full capacity for longer periods of time.

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Submitted Apr 30, 2012 By: eromitlab

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paisho6 Veteran Author Oakland Posts:294 Points:37,530 Joined:Feb 2012	Message Posted: Apr 30, 2012 8:12:10 PM Ignore paisho6 Report Abuse OK
PizzaMon Champion Author Philadelphia Posts:5,134 Points:1,885,580 Joined:Jun 2006	Message Posted: Apr 30, 2012 8:09:53 PM Ignore PizzaMon Report Abuse Sounds prime for another government handout.
pgerassi Champion Author Milwaukee Posts:11,036 Points:2,159,245 Joined:Apr 2007	Message Posted: Apr 30, 2012 8:08:54 PM Ignore pgerassi Report Abuse Pumped storage has been used for years, successfully.
dlemma Champion Author Wyoming Posts:4,241 Points:1,581,745 Joined:Feb 2008	Message Posted: Apr 30, 2012 8:08:23 PM Ignore dlemma Report Abuse get GOVERNMENT out of business. Let the private enterprise do these things IF they are profitable.
LaVonneK Champion Author Iowa Posts:3,078 Points:653,250 Joined:Jul 2011	Message Posted: Apr 30, 2012 8:06:57 PM Ignore LaVonneK Report Abuse Yeah.
nztyraider Champion Author Nevada Posts:2,322 Points:716,205 Joined:Apr 2009	Message Posted: Apr 30, 2012 8:06:20 PM Ignore nztyraider Report Abuse Okay.
s6sputnik Champion Author Austin Posts:6,332 Points:1,332,895 Joined:Jun 2007	Message Posted: Apr 30, 2012 8:01:35 PM Ignore s6sputnik Report Abuse Is and will be!
larharris2 Veteran Author Tennessee Posts:341 Points:523,260 Joined:Oct 2011	Message Posted: Apr 30, 2012 7:58:27 PM Ignore larharris2 Report Abuse Storage IS the key, and always has been. So far, not an efficient, cost effective solution.
REKEY Champion Author South Carolina Posts:8,718 Points:1,726,120 Joined:May 2008	Message Posted: Apr 30, 2012 7:58:09 PM Ignore REKEY Report Abuse Don't they do that now?
amteb All-Star Author Toledo Posts:513 Points:102,865 Joined:Apr 2012	Message Posted: Apr 30, 2012 7:57:46 PM Ignore amteb Report Abuse Great if it can be rlied upon for the long-term
EVBuddy Champion Author Nevada Posts:16,830 Points:3,058,320 Joined:Sep 2004	Message Posted: Apr 30, 2012 7:50:08 PM Ignore EVBuddy Report Abuse Got to Have energy at 5 PM
zorgchris Veteran Author Massachusetts Posts:440 Points:314,470 Joined:Jun 2005	Message Posted: Apr 30, 2012 7:49:44 PM Ignore zorgchris Report Abuse ok
nigelb Champion Author Virginia Posts:8,592 Points:1,417,505 Joined:Feb 2008	Message Posted: Apr 30, 2012 7:48:44 PM Ignore nigelb Report Abuse A step in the right direction, I hope it pans out!
menagerie1013 Champion Author San Diego Posts:2,365 Points:711,190 Joined:Apr 2011	Message Posted: Apr 30, 2012 7:48:30 PM Ignore menagerie1013 Report Abuse I'd love to have a solar powered house.
jcurley Champion Author California Posts:8,013 Points:1,800,545 Joined:Dec 2007	Message Posted: Apr 30, 2012 7:48:04 PM Ignore jcurley Report Abuse @melvindale makes some good points, but don't forget -- we waste a lot of energy, everyday. Long distance transmission is but one example.
Edpap Champion Author Pennsylvania Posts:4,486 Points:530,650 Joined:Oct 2011	Message Posted: Apr 30, 2012 7:46:23 PM Ignore Edpap Report Abuse Companies tend to do what makes economic sense, unlike the government.
Benz98 Veteran Author Modesto Posts:370 Points:21,285 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: Apr 30, 2012 7:46:04 PM Ignore Benz98 Report Abuse Ok
AKmailman Champion Author Alaska Posts:5,758 Points:1,584,590 Joined:Jul 2004	Message Posted: Apr 30, 2012 7:39:28 PM Ignore AKmailman Report Abuse ever wish you could just bottle up a big oil CEO and keep him there?
acvw74 Champion Author Illinois Posts:2,115 Points:712,175 Joined:Apr 2011	Message Posted: Apr 30, 2012 7:37:20 PM Ignore acvw74 Report Abuse Sounds great...how far away? Or does this only work in a lab?
preacherboyFL Veteran Author Orlando Posts:444 Points:125,860 Joined:Feb 2012	Message Posted: Apr 30, 2012 7:37:19 PM Ignore preacherboyFL Report Abuse Hosea 2:14 "Therefore I am now going to allure her; I will lead her into the desert and speak tenderly to her.
hcivic Champion Author Virginia Posts:3,989 Points:2,292,440 Joined:Aug 2005	Message Posted: Apr 30, 2012 7:33:05 PM Ignore hcivic Report Abuse ok
vroomputtputt Veteran Author Oregon Posts:275 Points:62,785 Joined:Mar 2012	Message Posted: Apr 30, 2012 7:31:55 PM Ignore vroomputtputt Report Abuse OK
1Casey Champion Author Albany Posts:6,631 Points:1,810,945 Joined:Jun 2004	Message Posted: Apr 30, 2012 7:31:38 PM Ignore 1Casey Report Abuse Conserve,
melvindale Champion Author Michigan Posts:1,438 Points:351,230 Joined:Jun 2011	Message Posted: Apr 30, 2012 7:29:17 PM Ignore melvindale Report Abuse Save the electricity. Save the money.
melvindale Champion Author Michigan Posts:1,438 Points:351,230 Joined:Jun 2011	Message Posted: Apr 30, 2012 7:28:36 PM Ignore melvindale Report Abuse Nope, much too costly. Number One: Solar on every roof top. Number Two: Wind generators that do not kill birds. See Vertical Axis Wind Turbine for more information. Put them where useful, but not far away from users. Number Three: Hydroelectric that does not kill fish. See also wave and tide generators. Number Four: Geothermal everywhere it makes sense. Last: Natural Gas Generation that is flexible enough to make up for cloudy windless days during a drought. Otherwise, mostly at night. Once again, small and close to customers. Final. The grid seems like a good idea. The losses of power when electricity has to move great distances makes the grid a bad idea. (Local grids good. Hooked up from coast to coast wasteful/bad.) Take down the power plants far from customers, and lose the transmission losses. That is until we can make electric transmission that has almost no losses. Yes, that means Plasma (like Star Trek) or some form of Superconductors (or even Magnetic Flow Power Pipes moving free electrons with magnetism through a conduit of some sort).
RichFWA Champion Author Tacoma Posts:1,244 Points:306,375 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: Apr 30, 2012 7:27:03 PM Ignore RichFWA Report Abuse Shortage my Arse!
walkingtall Champion Author Toronto Posts:4,134 Points:1,148,405 Joined:Nov 2004	Message Posted: Apr 30, 2012 7:26:43 PM Ignore walkingtall Report Abuse It would be nice to see this production at affordable pricing.
eye-spy Champion Author Quebec Posts:4,723 Points:2,445,320 Joined:Feb 2005	Message Posted: Apr 30, 2012 7:26:05 PM Ignore eye-spy Report Abuse On our way, but not there yet.
36_ACRES_4_SALE All-Star Author Appleton Posts:999 Points:338,815 Joined:Oct 2011	Message Posted: Apr 30, 2012 7:25:06 PM Ignore 36_ACRES_4_SALE Report Abuse If I wanted America to fail, I wouldn't change a thing.
silverfoxv65 Champion Author Michigan Posts:4,618 Points:1,256,475 Joined:Sep 2009	Message Posted: Apr 30, 2012 7:20:18 PM Ignore silverfoxv65 Report Abuse Some day we will get there, it will get better and better as time go on.
jerej829 Champion Author Memphis Posts:2,969 Points:719,750 Joined:May 2011	Message Posted: Apr 30, 2012 7:17:15 PM Ignore jerej829 Report Abuse ok
OU8121959 Champion Author Grand Rapids Posts:2,843 Points:558,690 Joined:Apr 2011	Message Posted: Apr 30, 2012 7:16:41 PM Ignore OU8121959 Report Abuse cool
SabrinaHokie Sophomore Author Virginia Posts:132 Points:85,415 Joined:Dec 2011	Message Posted: Apr 30, 2012 7:15:12 PM Ignore SabrinaHokie Report Abuse That's brilliant news - hopefully someday soon they will be available for the general public.
postcard9 All-Star Author Massachusetts Posts:893 Points:528,745 Joined:May 2011	Message Posted: Apr 30, 2012 7:12:54 PM Ignore postcard9 Report Abuse $3.96 here.
The_DR Champion Author New Jersey Posts:2,920 Points:612,540 Joined:Aug 2011	Message Posted: Apr 30, 2012 7:12:33 PM Ignore The_DR Report Abuse fine by me
OWENALOTT Champion Author Appleton Posts:2,182 Points:500,095 Joined:Apr 2011	Message Posted: Apr 30, 2012 7:11:00 PM Ignore OWENALOTT Report Abuse Good
Dailyrun Champion Author Kentucky Posts:2,117 Points:415,115 Joined:Apr 2012	Message Posted: Apr 30, 2012 7:06:48 PM Ignore Dailyrun Report Abuse And, if not too costly, a unit on every rooftop!!
sydb7 Champion Author Atlanta Posts:3,656 Points:1,941,820 Joined:Mar 2003	Message Posted: Apr 30, 2012 7:05:22 PM Ignore sydb7 Report Abuse Interesting technology!
TRYWI All-Star Author Appleton Posts:898 Points:282,150 Joined:Jan 2012	Message Posted: Apr 30, 2012 7:01:54 PM Ignore TRYWI Report Abuse yup
tco9436 Champion Author Connecticut Posts:1,807 Points:743,650 Joined:Mar 2010	Message Posted: Apr 30, 2012 7:01:10 PM Ignore tco9436 Report Abuse sure
toytech3 All-Star Author Chicago Posts:917 Points:612,770 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: Apr 30, 2012 7:00:49 PM Ignore toytech3 Report Abuse Strange
kiosk12y Champion Author Tulsa Posts:3,711 Points:703,800 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: Apr 30, 2012 6:58:02 PM Ignore kiosk12y Report Abuse whateverrr
Michaels2011 Champion Author Florida Posts:2,141 Points:106,005 Joined:Apr 2011	Message Posted: Apr 30, 2012 6:55:29 PM Ignore Michaels2011 Report Abuse Sounds like higher bills to me
balljars Champion Author Michigan Posts:8,113 Points:1,610,595 Joined:Aug 2008	Message Posted: Apr 30, 2012 6:54:45 PM Ignore balljars Report Abuse Storage can be a big problem, good luck.
pbug101 Champion Author Georgia Posts:2,581 Points:604,025 Joined:Aug 2011	Message Posted: Apr 30, 2012 6:53:46 PM Ignore pbug101 Report Abuse ok
blah2blah3 Champion Author Houston Posts:2,741 Points:627,595 Joined:May 2011	Message Posted: Apr 30, 2012 6:50:09 PM Ignore blah2blah3 Report Abuse ok
DozenSpeed Champion Author St. Louis Posts:1,293 Points:391,550 Joined:Sep 2011	Message Posted: Apr 30, 2012 6:45:48 PM Ignore DozenSpeed Report Abuse Well we certainly want to help power companies avoid investments....
lqsi Sophomore Author Chicago Posts:106 Points:219,095 Joined:Dec 2004	Message Posted: Apr 30, 2012 6:44:18 PM Ignore lqsi Report Abuse what a novice idea, hheehe
TNT2EC Champion Author Wisconsin Posts:5,113 Points:1,537,365 Joined:Oct 2008	Message Posted: Apr 30, 2012 6:43:16 PM Ignore TNT2EC Report Abuse We waste so much energy via our cars. If we could use that waste energy, we would not need a cooling system on a car.
200porter Champion Author Toronto Posts:2,200 Points:568,860 Joined:Sep 2011	Message Posted: Apr 30, 2012 6:42:34 PM Ignore 200porter Report Abuse It would be nice to see this in production at an affordable cost.
cleangasprices Veteran Author Vancouver Posts:315 Points:72,515 Joined:May 2011	Message Posted: Apr 30, 2012 6:42:24 PM Ignore cleangasprices Report Abuse How to determine the reliability