Research by the Oregon State University College of Engineering has uncovered a way to improve the efficiency of a type of grid-scale storage crucial for a global transition toward renewable energy.
Moving toward net-zero carbon emissions means dealing with the intermittent, unpredictable nature of green power sources such as wind and solar and also overcoming supply and demand mismatches, said OSU’s Nick AuYeung, who led the study along with Ph.D. student Fuqiong Lei.
Those challenges, AuYeung notes, necessitate energy storage through means beyond pumped hydro plants, which feature a turbine between two water reservoirs of different elevations, and huge lithium-ion batteries.
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