crtoca's Comments RSS Syndication from SeekingAlpha.com http://seekingalpha.comuser/254641/comments http://seekingalpha.com/article/166896-on-eesat-and-energy-storage-opportunities-on-the-smart-grid?source=feed#comment-718112 718112 http:utility-savings.com
http:pdenregy.com]]> Fri, 16 Oct 2009 18:07:26 -0400 http:utility-savings.com
http:pdenregy.com]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/158687-pg-e-wants-doe-dollars-for-underground-air-energy-storage?source=feed#comment-651195 651195
I work with an advanced energy storage system, the vanadium redox flow battery, and I know the costs, I know the efficiencies, I know that I can build one within 12 months without major political turmoil. Give me the 10 years it will take for the Iowa project and I can have more than 300 MW at distributed locations where the energy is needed, without more transmission lines. And, the distributed batteries will provide back-up power, grid security, improved power quality, savings in distribution upgrades and demand response - what is the value for that? The PG&E CAES project is just another opportunity to spend lots of ratepayer money on a huge R&D project with uncertain political and environmental problems that may never get built.

More information on the vanadium redox flow battery - VRB-ESS - is at Utility-Savings.com.]]> Fri, 28 Aug 2009 13:34:52 -0400
I work with an advanced energy storage system, the vanadium redox flow battery, and I know the costs, I know the efficiencies, I know that I can build one within 12 months without major political turmoil. Give me the 10 years it will take for the Iowa project and I can have more than 300 MW at distributed locations where the energy is needed, without more transmission lines. And, the distributed batteries will provide back-up power, grid security, improved power quality, savings in distribution upgrades and demand response - what is the value for that? The PG&E CAES project is just another opportunity to spend lots of ratepayer money on a huge R&D project with uncertain political and environmental problems that may never get built.

More information on the vanadium redox flow battery - VRB-ESS - is at Utility-Savings.com.]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/137063-storage-the-best-renewable-energy-integration-strategy?source=feed#comment-501307 501307 VRB). VRB Power is out of business but the technology was picked up by a larger company with deeper pockets - which any emerging technology absolutely needs. Utility-Savings for more details. So you can recommend the technology again.

Regarding "cheap" storage media, don't forget the poor round-trip efficiency of molten salt and the true costs of trying to site pumped hydro and CAES. Environmental concerns and the very specific locational requirements make pumped hydro and CAES very iffy. And include the round trip efficiency of CAES - including the need to burn natural gas - and distributed advanced batteries like NAS and VRB make sense. The price will come down with economies of scale.]]> Tue, 12 May 2009 20:29:38 -0400 VRB). VRB Power is out of business but the technology was picked up by a larger company with deeper pockets - which any emerging technology absolutely needs. Utility-Savings for more details. So you can recommend the technology again.

Regarding "cheap" storage media, don't forget the poor round-trip efficiency of molten salt and the true costs of trying to site pumped hydro and CAES. Environmental concerns and the very specific locational requirements make pumped hydro and CAES very iffy. And include the round trip efficiency of CAES - including the need to burn natural gas - and distributed advanced batteries like NAS and VRB make sense. The price will come down with economies of scale.]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/107832-alternative-energy-storage-why-frequency-regulation-is-important?source=feed#comment-314944 314944 ISO) - like the California ISO (CAISO) - maintain markets that pay generators to provide frequency regulation, and there is no limitation or advantage on location for this service. Although it should make sense to place an energy storage system at the location of a frequency problem, like a wind farm, the current system allows the farms to push all their energy, and grid instability issues, into the larger grid. The ISO then buys frequency regulation services to manage the entire grid. The ISO accepts FR service from any generator in the larger grid, regardless of location.

Also, I disagree with your assertion that batteries, etc., don't have the "brute capacity" of compressed air or pumped hydro. It seems to me that a 100 MW battery system should have the same capacity as a 100 MW compressed air or pumped hydro system (although some would argue that the fast response from advanced energy storage devices would allow for smaller capacity systems providing superior service). Advanced Energy Systems (AES) can be scaled up to any size or distributed where needed. Compressed Air Energy Systems (CAES), which only exist in a couple of locations, and pumped hydro, sound great on a drawing board, but have such geographically restrictive requirements that they are of only limited potential value.
]]> Tue, 25 Nov 2008 15:41:57 -0500 ISO) - like the California ISO (CAISO) - maintain markets that pay generators to provide frequency regulation, and there is no limitation or advantage on location for this service. Although it should make sense to place an energy storage system at the location of a frequency problem, like a wind farm, the current system allows the farms to push all their energy, and grid instability issues, into the larger grid. The ISO then buys frequency regulation services to manage the entire grid. The ISO accepts FR service from any generator in the larger grid, regardless of location.

Also, I disagree with your assertion that batteries, etc., don't have the "brute capacity" of compressed air or pumped hydro. It seems to me that a 100 MW battery system should have the same capacity as a 100 MW compressed air or pumped hydro system (although some would argue that the fast response from advanced energy storage devices would allow for smaller capacity systems providing superior service). Advanced Energy Systems (AES) can be scaled up to any size or distributed where needed. Compressed Air Energy Systems (CAES), which only exist in a couple of locations, and pumped hydro, sound great on a drawing board, but have such geographically restrictive requirements that they are of only limited potential value.
]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/96759-energy-storage-opportunities-after-the-market-carnage?source=feed#comment-262593 262593 Tue, 23 Sep 2008 12:49:39 -0400 http://seekingalpha.com/article/94293-energy-storage-stocks-performance-cost-and-bell-shaped-curves?source=feed#comment-248600 248600 Mon, 08 Sep 2008 13:59:10 -0400 http://seekingalpha.com/article/90216-grid-based-energy-storage-birth-of-a-giant?source=feed#comment-244164 244164
I also encourage a look at the VRB Flow Battery. It is one of the few advanced energy systems that are commercially available. It's as fast or faster than a flywheel, has an indefinite life - it can be refurbished, similar to a diesel engine overhaul - and can provide megawatts of capacity with hours of storage and with unlimited cycling.]]> Tue, 02 Sep 2008 20:38:47 -0400
I also encourage a look at the VRB Flow Battery. It is one of the few advanced energy systems that are commercially available. It's as fast or faster than a flywheel, has an indefinite life - it can be refurbished, similar to a diesel engine overhaul - and can provide megawatts of capacity with hours of storage and with unlimited cycling.]]>