The Problem

As of now, transitioning to a primarily renewable energy grid, with the goal of becoming net-zero by 2050, is not realistic without the implementation of effective energy storage systems. The increased use and production of electric vehicles will continue through the coming years as countries push to be net-zero, and so will the demand on the energy grid needed to charge them. Creating a Compressed Air Energy Storage system (CAES) that could store and release energy generated by renewable energy sources, while being economically favorable, would help us reach this goal. Additionally, developing this CAES system to be scalable to meet the user needs of grid operators within the context of projected electric vehicle (EV) growth would reduce (or possibly eliminate) GHG emissions and encourage EV growth.

Read Our Problem Discovery Process • The Energy Problem Exemplified By The Duck Curve

Our Solution

Our main motivation derives from the incentive to solve the following issues: renewable energy waste caused by unfavorable peaks and a supply shortage in electric vehicle charging stations due to a significant increase in EVs. A Compressed Air Energy Storage (CAES) system is a great method to address these issues that we are facing, but the following questions may arise. Why CAES and not other energy storage systems? Why look at the nanoscale and not the utility scale?

Our solution was to design a Compressed Air Energy Storage (A-CAES) system able to store and release energy generated by renewable sources.

Our problem objectives were:

Design an adiabatic system – there is no heat being lost in our system
Design an economically favorable compressed air energy storage system that can store and release energy generated by renewable sources.
Scale this energy storage system to meet the user needs of electric grid operators within the context of projected electric vehicle growth.
The system’s ability to store and release energy is not time-of-day-dependent.
The system’s ability to store and release energy is not geographically-dependent.

Understand Our Design Justification • Explore Our Current Designs • See Our Finished Prototype

Who We Are

Learn about us here or see our team schedule here

View Subsystem Specifications | View Updated Budget

Citations:

“MCEv Charging for Your Workplace or Multifamily Property.” MCE Community Choice Energy, 14 Oct. 2021, https://www.mcecleanenergy.org/ev-charging/.

Sandoval, Ronny. “What Do Customers Want from Solar and Electric Vehicles? Surprising New Survey Results.” Energy Exchange, 4 Nov. 2016, https://blogs.edf.org/energyexchange/2016/11/04/what-do-customers-want-from-solar-and-electric-vehicles-surprising-new-survey-results/.