Integrated, Market-fit and Affordable Grid-scale Energy Storage (IMAGES)
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Warwick
Department Name: Sch of Engineering
Abstract
It is accepted that UK energy networks face a number of unprecedented challenges in the upcoming decades. These challenges include the threat to the security of energy supply due to declining indigenous fossil fuel reserves, increased reliance on imported fossil fuel (78% of coal and 50% of natural gas are imported, it is predicted that gas import will be over 80% in 2020), and planned retirement of ageing generation capacity over the next decade (approximately 20GW or 25% of the existing generation capacity); decarbonising electricity generation to achieve the goal of 80% reduction in CO2 emissions by 2050; and coping with the future increases in electricity demand from electrification of transportation and space heating. To address these great challenges, it is recognized that the UK energy networks, must change, strategically and the existing regulatory arrangements should be examined to check if they are fit for the purpose of future energy network operations.
To ensure that power supply closely matches demand, the amount of electricity generated must be well controlled and managed. If the balance between supply and demand is broken and the difference exceeds a critical level, the power system may fail and cause a regional blackout. The UK is especially vulnerable in terms of network stability as it has a relatively isolated small island power network. Currently, 80% of our electricity is generated from fossil fuel (coal or gas) with the load balancing function mainly managed through fossil fuel peaking generation plants that respond to load changes. The mix of electricity generation in the UK will change dramatically with a large reduction in the use of coal and gas and an increase in the clean variable, intermittent renewable energy generators. The inherent energy storage capability that we currently enjoy due to our dependence on fossil fuel power generation will then be greatly reduced by 2030.
Solutions are needed to address the network challenges that will occur due to a decrease in the implicit energy storage available with the planned reduction in fossil fuel power generation and the integration of large amounts of unpredictable intermittent renewable sources. Energy storage can provide manifold values in i) help meeting of peaky large scale electrical loads, ii) providing time varying energy charge management, iii) allowing renewable power generation to be stored to alleviate intermittence, iv) improving power quality/reliability, v) meeting remote load needs, vi) storage for management of distributed power generation, etc. This proposed research programme will focus on the challenging technical and economic issues faced by integrating large grid scale energy storage with the energy network.
To ensure that power supply closely matches demand, the amount of electricity generated must be well controlled and managed. If the balance between supply and demand is broken and the difference exceeds a critical level, the power system may fail and cause a regional blackout. The UK is especially vulnerable in terms of network stability as it has a relatively isolated small island power network. Currently, 80% of our electricity is generated from fossil fuel (coal or gas) with the load balancing function mainly managed through fossil fuel peaking generation plants that respond to load changes. The mix of electricity generation in the UK will change dramatically with a large reduction in the use of coal and gas and an increase in the clean variable, intermittent renewable energy generators. The inherent energy storage capability that we currently enjoy due to our dependence on fossil fuel power generation will then be greatly reduced by 2030.
Solutions are needed to address the network challenges that will occur due to a decrease in the implicit energy storage available with the planned reduction in fossil fuel power generation and the integration of large amounts of unpredictable intermittent renewable sources. Energy storage can provide manifold values in i) help meeting of peaky large scale electrical loads, ii) providing time varying energy charge management, iii) allowing renewable power generation to be stored to alleviate intermittence, iv) improving power quality/reliability, v) meeting remote load needs, vi) storage for management of distributed power generation, etc. This proposed research programme will focus on the challenging technical and economic issues faced by integrating large grid scale energy storage with the energy network.
Planned Impact
The scope of our proposed project is very broad and this is reflected in the breadth of beneficiaries. They include:
- Government, policy makers and regulators who are seeking economically and technically viable solutions to the long-term challenges faced by our electricity network which are also socially and environmentally acceptable.
- A wide range of UK industries including electricity generators, network operators, infrastructure maintenance and equipment manufacturers who will benefit from the techno-economic context that our work will provide for energy storage in relation to future grid operation and also the new IP we will produce. Our project partners will have the initial access to the results under the agreement signed between partners.
- Industry and the wider general public who consume electricity (i.e. everyone - both domestic and commercial users) and who will become increasingly reliant on its efficient delivery in the coming decades. They will expect a reliable and consistent supply at a reasonable cost and with minimum impact on climate from greenhouse gas emissions.
- The British Geological Survey work will have direct input to UK geological underground storage resource information and contribute to formulation of energy policy and regulations.
- Other researchers in academia, industry and government, who will be interested in the scientific breakthroughs we make through our unique multi-disciplinary approach. This includes researchers both in the immediately related area of energy storage but also those engaged in the wider energy research field. The models and methodology developed for the whole system and CAES technology study can be shared among the academic community.
- Part of the research work proposed will utilise the data and parameters supplied by the industrial partners, which is very beneficial to the academic community. Results from the scientific and technical research will have direct relevance to the industrial business thereby creating immediate industrial impact.
- The group of researchers who will acquire an array of techno-economic and transferable skills and will therefore be well positioned with prospective employers. During the project, we plan to bring PhD research students to the team to explore the extended topics resulting from the project programme. The PhD researchers will gain experience of working with industry and a multidisciplinary academic team.
- The research findings can be integrated in the teaching contents at undergraduate and master's level across the disciplinary areas from technology, engineering, geology, economics and system sciences.
- Government, policy makers and regulators who are seeking economically and technically viable solutions to the long-term challenges faced by our electricity network which are also socially and environmentally acceptable.
- A wide range of UK industries including electricity generators, network operators, infrastructure maintenance and equipment manufacturers who will benefit from the techno-economic context that our work will provide for energy storage in relation to future grid operation and also the new IP we will produce. Our project partners will have the initial access to the results under the agreement signed between partners.
- Industry and the wider general public who consume electricity (i.e. everyone - both domestic and commercial users) and who will become increasingly reliant on its efficient delivery in the coming decades. They will expect a reliable and consistent supply at a reasonable cost and with minimum impact on climate from greenhouse gas emissions.
- The British Geological Survey work will have direct input to UK geological underground storage resource information and contribute to formulation of energy policy and regulations.
- Other researchers in academia, industry and government, who will be interested in the scientific breakthroughs we make through our unique multi-disciplinary approach. This includes researchers both in the immediately related area of energy storage but also those engaged in the wider energy research field. The models and methodology developed for the whole system and CAES technology study can be shared among the academic community.
- Part of the research work proposed will utilise the data and parameters supplied by the industrial partners, which is very beneficial to the academic community. Results from the scientific and technical research will have direct relevance to the industrial business thereby creating immediate industrial impact.
- The group of researchers who will acquire an array of techno-economic and transferable skills and will therefore be well positioned with prospective employers. During the project, we plan to bring PhD research students to the team to explore the extended topics resulting from the project programme. The PhD researchers will gain experience of working with industry and a multidisciplinary academic team.
- The research findings can be integrated in the teaching contents at undergraduate and master's level across the disciplinary areas from technology, engineering, geology, economics and system sciences.
Organisations
- University of Warwick (Lead Research Organisation)
- General Electric (Collaboration)
- Energetix PNU Power (Collaboration)
- Flowgroup (Collaboration)
- Gaelectric (Collaboration)
- Rolls Royce Group Plc (Collaboration)
- INEOS Enterprises (Collaboration)
- E ON (Collaboration)
- Highview Power Storage (Collaboration)
- Energy Technologies Institute (ETI) (Collaboration)
- Saipem S.p.A. (Collaboration)
- KBB Underground (Collaboration)
- Costain Group (Collaboration)
- Atlas Copco Compressors (Collaboration, Project Partner)
- Electrical and Mechanical Services UK Ltd (Collaboration)
- National Grid UK (Collaboration)
- Alstom (Collaboration)
- Gateway Storage Company Ltd (Collaboration)
- RenewableUK (Collaboration)
- Eni (France) (Project Partner)
- Rolls-Royce (United Kingdom) (Project Partner)
- Pnu Power (Project Partner)
- Gaelectric Energy Storage Ltd (Project Partner)
- Gateway (United Kingdom) (Project Partner)
- National Grid (United Kingdom) (Project Partner)
- E.ON (United Kingdom) (Project Partner)
- Ineos Enterprises Ltd (Project Partner)
- Alstom (United Kingdom) (Project Partner)
- Costain (United Kingdom) (Project Partner)
- Highview Power Storage (United Kingdom) (Project Partner)
Publications
Barton J
(2017)
Time-step analysis of the DECC 2050 Calculator pathways
in Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part A: Journal of Power and Energy
Costa-Campi M
(2016)
Special issue on European Union: Markets and regulators editorial
in Energy Policy
Cruise J
Optimal Control of storage incorporating market impact and with energy applications
in Mathematical Methods of Operations Research
Cruise J
(2018)
Impact of storage competition on energy markets
in European Journal of Operational Research
Cruise James
(2014)
Optimal control of storage incorporating market impact and with energy applications
in arXiv e-prints
Davenne T
(2017)
The cold store for a pumped thermal energy storage system
in Journal of Energy Storage
Davenne T R
(2016)
The Cold Store for A Thermal Pumping Energy Storage System
Dodds P
(2016)
Storing Energy
Evans D
(2014)
Underground (Geological) Storage of Energy
Field L
(2018)
Determining constraints imposed by salt fabrics on the morphology of solution-mined energy storage cavities, through dissolution experiments using brine and seawater in halite
in Quarterly Journal of Engineering Geology and Hydrogeology
Flatley L
Optimal strategies for operating energy storage in an arbitrage market
in SIAM Journal on Control and Optimisation
Flatley L
(2016)
Analysing the potential value of energy storage
Flatley Lisa
(2014)
Optimal strategies for operating energy storage in an arbitrage market
in arXiv e-prints
Garvey S
(2015)
Analysis of a Wind Turbine Power Transmission System with Intrinsic Energy Storage Capability
in Wind Engineering
Garvey S
(2015)
Integrating Energy Storage with Renewable Energy Generation
in Wind Engineering
Garvey S
(2015)
On generation-integrated energy storage
in Energy Policy
Garvey S
(2016)
Storing Energy
Garvey S D
(2016)
Storing Energy - with special reference to renewable energy sources
Garvey SD
(2014)
An Energy-Storing Wind Turbine Would Provide Power 24/7
Garvey SD
Generation Integrated Energy Storage
Garvey SD
Keynote at Offshore Energy & Storage 2014
in Wind Engineering
Garvey SD
(2014)
Integrating Energy Storage with Electrical Generation
Garvey SD
(2014)
An Energy-Storing Wind Turbine Would Provide Power 24/7
Giulietti M
(2014)
Revenues From Storage In A Competitive Electricity Market
Grossi L
(2013)
German energy market fallout from the Japanese earthquake
Grossi L
The impact of the German response to the Fukushima earthquake: a vision of the future?
in Economic Journal
Grossi L
(2018)
Electricity market integration and the impact of unilateral policy reforms
in Oxford Economic Papers
Grossi L.
A vision of the European energy future? The impact of the German response to the Fukushima earthquake
in major economics journal
He W
(2021)
Technologies and economics of electric energy storages in power systems: Review and perspective
in Advances in Applied Energy
He W
(2018)
Optimal selection of air expansion machine in Compressed Air Energy Storage: A review
in Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews
He W
(2017)
New radial turbine dynamic modelling in a low-temperature adiabatic compressed air energy storage system discharging process
in Energy Conversion and Management
| Description | Our Key Findings: - UK has massive salt basin which can make suitable CAES underground storage caverns. If 1% of such resources is used, the storage capacity can be over 102 TWh, which is 1/3 UK total electrical energy annual demand. - The modelling and simulation tool can be used for future CAES plant planning and design (https://estoolbox.org/index.php/en/). - Hybrid connection of wind turbine with CAES can smooth power output and also improve wind turbine energy conversion efficiency - New device is designed to convert compressed air energy to electricity directly. - The research proves that thermal power plant can integrate with thermal storage and CAES to become flexible power generation units. This has laid important theoretical foundation for further exploration and extension to nuclear power plants. - The research findings suggest that it is feasible and economic for the UK to adopt CAES for large scale energy storage which have complementary role to battery storage plants. |
| Exploitation Route | The above find was presented at high level EPSRC scientific advisory board meeting and EERA report. |
| Sectors | Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software),Education,Energy,Environment,Government, Democracy and Justice,Manufacturing, including Industrial Biotechology |
| Description | The project findings provide a clearer picture for the UK underground compressed air energy storage (CAES) capacity. This helps the policy makers to consider the technology. We are very pleased to see that the UK has funded some CAES demonstration or feasibility study projects. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2021 |
| Sector | Education,Energy,Environment |
| Impact Types | Societal,Economic,Policy & public services |
| Description | Poster at EPSRC Scientific Advisory meeting |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
| Description | Joint UK-India Clean Energy Centre (JUICE) |
| Amount | £5,094,437 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | EP/P003605/1 |
| Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 10/2016 |
| End | 09/2021 |
| Description | Supergen Storage Network Plus 2019 |
| Amount | £1,012,009 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | EP/S032622/1 |
| Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 09/2019 |
| End | 08/2023 |
| Title | CAES and TE dynamic simulation tool |
| Description | The simulation tool is the first dynamic system modelling and simulation tool. THe project is now working on web design to allow the tool to be as open access resources to research community. |
| Type Of Material | Improvements to research infrastructure |
| Year Produced | 2016 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | This will provide an open source tool for a wide research community. As it is just placed on the website, more story can be followed next year. |
| Description | Alstom - IMAGES collaboration |
| Organisation | Alstom |
| Country | France |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | . |
| Collaborator Contribution | . |
| Impact | . |
| Start Year | 2012 |
| Description | Atlas Copco - IMAGES collaboration |
| Organisation | Atlas Copco Compressors |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | . |
| Collaborator Contribution | . |
| Impact | . |
| Start Year | 2012 |
| Description | Costain - IMAGES collaboration |
| Organisation | Costain Group |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | . |
| Collaborator Contribution | . |
| Impact | . |
| Start Year | 2012 |
| Description | E ON - IMAGES project collaboration |
| Organisation | E ON |
| Department | E ON Engineering |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | . |
| Collaborator Contribution | . |
| Impact | . |
| Start Year | 2012 |
| Description | EMS for storage management |
| Organisation | Electrical and Mechanical Services UK Ltd |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | We have signed an evaluation license to the company. |
| Collaborator Contribution | The company provide the test data to us. |
| Impact | Power Meter to be used for the company's products (single phase) |
| Start Year | 2011 |
| Description | ETI - IMAGES collaboration |
| Organisation | Energy Technologies Institute (ETI) |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | . |
| Collaborator Contribution | . |
| Impact | . |
| Start Year | 2012 |
| Description | Energetix Group plc |
| Organisation | Flowgroup |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| Start Year | 2007 |
| Description | GE Energy - IMAGES collaboration |
| Organisation | General Electric |
| Country | United States |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | . |
| Collaborator Contribution | . |
| Impact | . |
| Start Year | 2012 |
| Description | Gaelectric - IMAGES collaboration |
| Organisation | Gaelectric |
| Country | Ireland |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | . |
| Collaborator Contribution | . |
| Impact | . |
| Start Year | 2012 |
| Description | Gateway - IMAGES collaboration |
| Organisation | Gateway Storage Company Ltd |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | . |
| Collaborator Contribution | . |
| Impact | . |
| Start Year | 2012 |
| Description | Highview Power Storage - IMAGES collaboration |
| Organisation | Highview Power Storage |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | . |
| Collaborator Contribution | . |
| Impact | . |
| Start Year | 2012 |
| Description | INEOS - IMAGES collaboration |
| Organisation | INEOS Enterprises |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | . |
| Collaborator Contribution | . |
| Impact | . |
| Start Year | 2012 |
| Description | KBB Underground - IMAGES collaboration |
| Organisation | KBB Underground |
| Country | Germany |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | . |
| Collaborator Contribution | . |
| Impact | . |
| Start Year | 2015 |
| Description | National Grid - IMAGES collaboration |
| Organisation | National Grid UK |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | . |
| Collaborator Contribution | . |
| Impact | . |
| Start Year | 2012 |
| Description | PNU Power - IMAGES collaboration |
| Organisation | Energetix PNU Power |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | . |
| Collaborator Contribution | . |
| Impact | . |
| Start Year | 2012 |
| Description | Rolls-Royce - IMAGES project collaboration |
| Organisation | Rolls Royce Group Plc |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Rolls-Royce - IMAGES project collaboration |
| Collaborator Contribution | Rolls-Royce - IMAGES project collaboration |
| Impact | . |
| Start Year | 2012 |
| Description | Saipem sa - IMAGES collaboration |
| Organisation | Saipem S.p.A. |
| Country | Italy |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | . |
| Collaborator Contribution | . |
| Impact | . |
| Start Year | 2012 |
| Description | renewableUK - IMAGES collaboration |
| Organisation | RenewableUK |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | . |
| Collaborator Contribution | wind farm location data in the UK |
| Impact | . |
| Start Year | 2015 |
| Title | Compressed Air Energy Storage System Exploits Low Grade Heat Capture to Increase Exergy Output |
| Description | en |
| IP Reference | GB1521372.1 |
| Protection | Patent application published |
| Year Protection Granted | 2015 |
| Licensed | No |
| Impact | .. |
| Title | Compressed air energy storage system uses high grade thermal store to increase exergy storage capacity |
| Description | Garvey SD, Cárdenas B, Kantharaj BK and Pimm AJ, Compressed air energy storage system uses high grade thermal store to increase exergy storage capacity, September 2015 |
| IP Reference | |
| Protection | Patent application published |
| Year Protection Granted | 2015 |
| Licensed | No |
| Impact | . |
| Title | Direct electricity generation from magnetic scrolls |
| Description | 1306165 Brushes SUNBEAM CORP 12 May 1970 [12 May 1969] 23000/70 Heading A4K [Also in division H2] A battery operated toothbrush in which the battery 45 is rechargeable includes a base 21 which is adapted to receive the handle 22 of the toothbrush and in which is housed a transformer 70 the low voltage end of which is connected to electrical contacts 65, 66 on the base, said contacts being in contact with electrical charging contacts 53, 54 when the handle is positioned on the base. The charging contacts which are disposed on the handle are connected to the battery 45, the contact 53 being connected to the battery via a diode rectifier 57 which is housed in the handle. This arrangement reduces electrolytic deterioration of the electrical connection between the base and the handle. |
| IP Reference | GB1306165 |
| Protection | Patent granted |
| Year Protection Granted | 1973 |
| Licensed | Yes |
| Impact | The invention has helped improve efficiency of the compressed air battery efficiency. |
| Title | Energy Storage System Blends Two Different Air Compression Resources and Exploits External Low Grade Heat Input |
| Description | .. |
| IP Reference | GB1612878.7 |
| Protection | Patent application published |
| Year Protection Granted | 2016 |
| Licensed | No |
| Impact | .. |
| Title | High-efficiency adiabatic compressor/expander uses covered liquid pistons |
| Description | High-efficiency adiabatic compressor/expander uses covered liquid pistons |
| IP Reference | GB1509508.6 |
| Protection | Patent application published |
| Year Protection Granted | 2015 |
| Licensed | No |
| Impact | . |
| Title | SCROLL EXPANDER WITH ELECTRICITY GENERATING SCROLLS |
| Description | A device (1, Fig. 9) for generating electrical power, the device comprising a scroll expander (10) with first and second scrolls (11a, 12a) configured to move relative to each other when a fluid is provided to an inlet at a higher pressure than a pressure at an outlet. The first scroll is configured to provide a magnetic field and the second scroll comprises one or more conductors (22) in which electric currents are induced when the first and second scrolls move relative to each other. |
| IP Reference | WO2014162150 |
| Protection | Patent granted |
| Year Protection Granted | 2014 |
| Licensed | No |
| Impact | . |
| Title | System for Compressed Air Energy Storage Boosts Net Work Output Using Low-Grade Heat |
| Description | Garvey SD, Cárdenas B, Kantharaj BK and Pimm AJ, "System for Compressed Air Energy Storage Boosts Net Work Output Using Low-Grade Heat". October 2015 |
| IP Reference | |
| Protection | Patent application published |
| Year Protection Granted | 2015 |
| Licensed | No |
| Impact | . |
| Title | CAES Dynamic System Simulation Software |
| Description | A compressed air energy storage simulation tool is developed, which uses Matlab/Simulink as its simulation platform. This is going to be released by May 2016. Anyone can download the software if they need it for research and design. |
| Type Of Technology | Software |
| Year Produced | 2016 |
| Open Source License? | Yes |
| Impact | This will be the first software tool for the whole CAES system dynamic modelling and simulation. |
| Description | Imagination event |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | The University organised a 50 year's anniversary celebration event to invite all the public and school students for a science or research open day. The project helped provide a Flywheel Energy Storage demonstration kit for the event to explain what energy storage is and how it works. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
| URL | http://integratedenergystorage.org/ |
| Description | Industrial Workshop |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | A workshop was held in University of Warwick. The workshop invites a number of industrial speakers to discuss the potential of CAES and the cost to be acceptable by business. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
| URL | http://integratedenergystorage.org/ |
| Description | Represent UK in EERA for mechanical energy storage |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | The IMAGES project has been actively involved in European Energy Research Alliance to lead on compressed air energy storage. The CAES development report to EERA has great influence on European Research community. There are high citations to the report. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2012,2013,2014,2015,2016 |
| URL | http://integratedenergystorage.org/ |
| Description | THE FUTURE OF COMPRESSED AIR ENERGY STORAGE (CAES) IN THE UK |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Purpose of event: The meeting will bring together various potential stakeholders to form a consistent understanding of what role CAES can and will play up to 2030. Type of Event: Serious discussion meeting aiming to affect UK government policy, kick-start some demonstration projects and galvanise technology developers into action. More than 100 attended mainly from industry and academia. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| URL | http://gridstorage.org.uk/ |