Editing Compressed-air energy storage (section)

{{Short description|Method for matching variable production with demand}}
{{More citations needed|date=November 2024}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2012}}
[[File:Bouteille air démarrage.JPG|thumb|A pressurized air tank used to start a diesel generator set in Paris Metro]]
'''Compressed-air-energy storage''' (CAES) is a way to [[energy storage|store energy]] for later use using [[compressed air]]. At a [[public utility|utility]] scale, energy generated during periods of low demand can be released during [[peak load]] periods.<ref name="NYT-2010.07.28">{{cite news |last=Wald |first=Matthew L..|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/28/business/energy-environment/28storage.html |title=Wind Drives Growing Use of Batteries |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |date=July 28, 2010 |page=B1}}</ref>

The first utility-scale CAES project was in the Huntorf power plant in [[Elsfleth|Elsfleth, Germany]], and is still operational {{As of|2024|lc=y}}.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Zhang |first1=Xinjing |last2=Gao |first2=Ziyu |last3=Zhou |first3=Bingqian |last4=Guo |first4=Huan |last5=Xu |first5=Yujie |last6=Ding |first6=Yulong |last7=Chen |first7=Haisheng |date=2024 |title=Advanced Compressed Air Energy Storage Systems: Fundamentals and Applications |journal=Engineering |volume=34 |pages=246–269 |doi=10.1016/j.eng.2023.12.008 |issn=2095-8099|doi-access=free }}</ref> The Huntorf plant was initially developed as a load balancer for [[Fossil fuel power station|fossil-fuel-generated electricity]], but the global shift towards [[renewable energy]] renewed interest in CAES systems,<ref name="The role of compressed air energy storage (CAES) in future sustainable energy systems." /> to help highly intermittent energy sources like [[photovoltaics]] and [[wind power|wind]] satisfy fluctuating electricity demands.<ref name="The role of compressed air energy storage (CAES) in future sustainable energy systems.">{{cite journal | last1=Lund | first1=Henrik | last2=Salgi | first2=Georges | title=The role of compressed air energy storage (CAES) in future sustainable energy systems | journal=Energy Conversion and Management | publisher=Elsevier BV | volume=50 | issue=5 | year=2009 | issn=0196-8904 | doi=10.1016/j.enconman.2009.01.032 | pages=1172–1179| bibcode=2009ECM....50.1172L }}</ref>

One ongoing challenge in large-scale design is the management of thermal energy, since the compression of air leads to an unwanted [[Joule-Thompson effect|temperature increase]] that not only reduces operational efficiency but can also lead to damage. The main difference between various architectures lies in thermal engineering. On the other hand, small-scale systems have long been used for propulsion of [[Fireless locomotive|mine locomotives]]. Contrasted with traditional batteries, systems can store energy for longer periods of time and have less upkeep.

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