Compressed air energy storage (CAES) is receiving renewed attention as an option to help manage integration of intermittent generation resources such and wind and solar onto the electric grid.  CAES offers a unique combination of relatively rapid response cycle times for load balancing combined with large energy storage capacity to help manage sustained over-generation events that are threatening grid stability in regions such as the Pacific Northwest.  A novel hybrid power plant configuration has been conceived that uses geothermal resources to power an absorption cooling system for the air compressors during energy storage mode and provide heat in power generation mode to compensate for Joule-Thompson cooling as the compressed air is expanded in a turbine.  In this paper, we will describe the hybrid plant concept and identify methods to lower plant capital costs while increasing generating capacity and so provide an improved rate of return on investment.  Use of CO2 as a means to improve pressure maintenance in the reservoir will be discussed including benefits and permitting issues.  We will also describe results from a national siting survey to identify promising locations where the geothermal CAES plant could be deployed.

Siting of a geothermal powered compressed air energy storage plant for grid-scale renewables integration

248th National Meeting (2014)

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