Salt, Bricks and Air Show Promise as Energy-Storage Media
Utilities may begin using salt, bricks and air to supplement their renewable energy-storage capabilities in the future. This unorthodox technique could help bridge the gap between peak green-energy production hours and peak consumption hours. Although solar and wind are great sources of renewable energy, their peak production hours rarely coincide with peak consumption hours, resulting in a gap that sees green-energy production reach its peak when energy consumption by homes, businesses and manufacturers is low. Energy storage helps utilities store the excess energy generated when energy consumption is low before releasing it into the grid as needed, allowing users to…