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A patented low cost method of storing large volumes of hydrogen gas in man-made underground chambers with no geographical restraints or cycle limitations.
About
Our solution is to provide a flexible and scalable energy storage system that can be conveniently positioned at or near solar and wind farms and provide sufficient storage capacity and duration to handle grid level demands at the daily to seasonal level. The system is based on transforming excess renewable energy into hydrogen through water electrolysis and storing the hydrogen in man-made underground chambers. These man-made chambers can be constructed using existing mine shaft drilling technology and can then be easily lined with metal or composite linings. Our patented system includes flooding the chambers with water which allows the hydrogen to be stored under constant pressure, which significantly increases their capacity and minimizes compression costs. Only pumped-hydro and hydrogen storage in salt deposits, which require specific geological conditions, can provide this level of energy storage, but these, or no other system, can provide this capacity at a predetermined site. The stored hydrogen gas can then be used in both the power generation sector and the transportation sector.
Key Benefits
Comparable to salt dome storage but without the restrictions. • Not restricted to locations which have salt deposits. • Chamber can be regulated at a constant predetermined pressure during filling and emptying, for example 5,000 psi (34.5 MPa). • Maintaining constant pressure eliminates heating/cooling effects caused by gas compression and expansion. • Unlimited cycles on a daily basis if needed. • A patented floating seal can be used inside the chamber to maintain separation between gas and water. • A second chamber can be constructed on site for oxygen storage. Pure oxygen greatly improves efficiency. • 50+ year life expectancy with very little maintenance costs.
Applications
Power Sector: Hydrogen storage for power generation at microgrid and grid scale levels. Transportation Sector: Fuel storage for hydrogen cars, long-haul tractor trailers and other large on and off road vehicles. • Larger chambers can serve as storage hubs for multiple hydrogen fueling stations. • Smaller chambers can be utilized by individual stations where hydrogen is produced on site.