A brand new analysis collaboration goals to develop GPStore, a pioneering long-duration power storage know-how that would play a significant function in supporting the UK’s transition to internet zero.
The mission, led by Professor Yasser Mahmoudi Larimi from The College of Manchester, has been awarded a £3 million EPSRC Vital Mass Programme Grant. It brings collectively experience from business and academia throughout the UK, which additionally contains the College of Birmingham, the College of Liverpool, Cranfield College and Imperial School London.
Because the UK will increase its use of renewable power, one of many greatest challenges is the way to retailer extra electrical energy generated on windy or sunny days and make it accessible when demand rises, or when the climate adjustments and turns darkish, for instance. GPStore goals to ship a first-of-its-kind method to storing clear power for hours, weeks or months – one thing current storage choices can’t obtain at scale.
Professor Yasser Mahmoudi Larimi, Professor of Thermal Vitality Engineering at The College of Manchester mentioned: “GPStore addresses a few of the most persistent limitations to long-duration storage – value, scalability and environmental sustainability – and has the potential to unlock widespread renewable-energy integration throughout the UK and globally.”
By 2050, the UK is anticipated to wish as much as 100 terawatt-hours of long-duration power storage to make sure a steady, reasonably priced and low-carbon power system. Whereas immediately’s applied sciences, reminiscent of pumped hydro, compressed air and stream batteries, provide helpful short- to medium-duration storage, they typically face geographical and environmental constraints, excessive prices, or advanced engineering, making them troublesome to scale.
The novel GPStore know-how takes a very completely different method. It converts surplus renewable electrical energy into high-temperature warmth storing in strong particles, in aboveground insulated tanks. When power is required, the saved thermal power is transformed again to electrical energy. GPStore might assist handle power demand not solely day-to-day, but additionally between summer time and winter, which is important for reaching a completely renewable, climate-resilient power grid.
The mission brings collectively 13 teachers throughout 5 UK universities and 16 business and coverage companions, together with EDF Vitality, UK Energy Networks, Fraser-Nash Consultancy and Manchester Metropolis Council.
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