Otis Singleton
Excess electricity is a common problem faced by many, from individuals with solar panels to large electric companies. The challenge is to make the most of this excess energy without wasting it. Several methods are available, such as storing energy in batteries, using it for crypto mining, or selling it back to the grid. Other innovative solutions include pumping water uphill to a dam and reservoir or using blockchain technology to trade energy with consumers directly. Electric car owners can also use their vehicles as mini-reservoirs of electrical charge at night, sending the excess voltage back to the grid during the day.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Use excess electricity to pump water uphill | Water power is then available anytime to cover any shortage, or charge your EV at night |
| Use excess electricity for cold storage | Run an ice machine, have ice for food storage, cooling, slushy adult beverages |
| Use excess electricity for heat storage | Keep a large electric hot water heater hot for DHW |
| Use excess electricity for space heating/cooling | Cool your house |
| Use excess electricity for cooking/food prep/food driers | Make cookies, brownies, bread, dried fruits |
| Use excess electricity for battery/EV/battery-powered garden/yard equipment recharging | Run a treadmill |
| Use excess electricity for water pumping/irrigation | |
| Use excess electricity for hydroponics pump, grow lights, heater | Grow your own food |
| Use excess electricity for woodworking projects | |
| Use excess electricity for crypto mining | |
| Use excess electricity for producing liquid fuel | The easiest would be hydrogen |
| Use excess electricity for car-to-grid | Electric car batteries are used as mini-reservoirs of electrical charge at night when they are not in use |
| Use excess electricity for rail energy | Using the same principle as hydro storage, large rail cars full of heavy rocks or metal bars are transported up a hill with excess electricity |
| Use excess electricity for thermal storage | Excess power is used to freeze water that is placed on the tops of office buildings. When the electricity is needed, the ice is allowed to melt and cool refrigerator elements and provide cold air to offices |
| Use excess electricity for compressed air energy storage | Air is pumped, using the excess electricity, into a tight space like a mine or cavern. Later, that air can be released and used to drive a turbine that “gives back” most of the power |
| Use excess electricity for net metering | When a PV system is producing more power than the load consumes, the excess power can be sent to the grid |
| Use excess electricity for peer-to-peer energy sales | Instead of selling your excess solar power to the grid, you sell directly to your neighbour instead |
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What You'll Learn
Storing excess energy for future use
Grid Energy Storage
Grid energy storage, also known as large-scale energy storage, refers to technologies connected to the electrical power grid that store energy for later use. This includes systems like pumped-storage hydroelectricity, which is currently the largest form of grid storage. Water is pumped from a lower reservoir to a higher reservoir during times of low electricity demand and price, and then released through turbines to generate power when demand increases. Other forms of grid storage include utility-scale batteries, behind-the-meter batteries, lithium-ion batteries, flow batteries, compressed air energy storage, and green hydrogen produced via electrolysis.
Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) Technology
The electric vehicle fleet has a large overall battery capacity that can be utilized for grid energy storage. Vehicle-to-grid technology allows electric vehicles to store energy when not in use and release it back to the grid when needed. This can help balance supply and demand and improve grid stability. By 2030, batteries in electric vehicles may be able to meet all short-term storage demand globally.
Distributed Storage
This approach involves creating a network of small, energy-dense batteries in homes, plug-in hybrid vehicles, and all-electric vehicles. Utility computers coordinate electricity flows over a "smart grid" that adjusts the flow of power to and from local batteries. This allows for more efficient use of energy and can help balance supply and demand.
Hydrogen Production
Using excess electricity to produce hydrogen through electrolysis is another way to store energy. Hydrogen can be stored and later used in fuel cells to power homes and vehicles. This method has been hailed as a breakthrough with significant implications for the future of renewable energy.
Gravity-Based Systems
Gravity-based systems, such as the one devised by Energy Vault, use excess energy to raise large bricks inside a specialized building. The potential energy stored in the raised bricks can then be converted back into electricity when needed. This method provides a way to store renewable energy without relying solely on batteries.
Blockchain Technology
Blockchain technology offers an innovative way to manage excess electricity by enabling peer-to-peer energy sales. Individuals with solar power systems can sell their excess energy directly to neighbors or choose to sell it back to the grid based on economics. Blockchain provides a secure and transparent way to track ownership and verify transactions, allowing for more flexibility and control in managing excess energy.
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Using blockchain to trade energy with consumers
Excess electricity can be traded with consumers using blockchain technology. Blockchain is commonly associated with cryptocurrencies and Bitcoin miners, but it can also be used in the transactive energy market.
Blockchain platforms are fault-tolerant, and some blockchains also support "smart contract" technology. This allows a simple buy/sell energy contract to be represented in code and executed automatically on a blockchain-based trading system. This has the potential to significantly reduce energy trading transaction costs, as well as settlement times.
A decentralized smart grid using blockchain technology could dynamically respond to supply and demand in near-real time and deliver payments within minutes. Blockchain offers a secure platform for peer-to-peer (P2P) trading that tracks the transaction of assets, such as a unit of energy. In a P2P trading system, people without solar panels could buy surplus renewable energy from their neighbours.
Blockchain technology can also be used to monitor transactions and track assets. Each block in the chain stores multiple transactions in a way that is easy to audit and verify, but very hard to edit or change. This makes blockchain an attractive solution for distributed energy companies, as it could greatly simplify the process of buying and selling power and enable highly localized energy generation.
Supplementing retailers with a blockchain-based platform has the potential to reduce consumer bills by around 40%. By connecting users directly to the grid, Ethereum allows users to buy energy from the grid at a cost they desire.
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Using excess energy to pump water
PSH systems store energy in the form of gravitational potential energy. This is achieved by pumping water from a lower elevation reservoir to a higher elevation using excess electricity. When there is a higher demand for electricity, the stored water is released through turbines to generate electricity. The reservoirs used for pumped storage are relatively small compared to conventional hydroelectric plants with similar power capacities.
One example of PSH is a nuclear power plant that used excess electricity at night to pump water uphill to a large dam and reservoir. Similarly, Italy has utilised pumped-storage hydroelectricity due to its excess capacity after its nuclear program was interrupted in the 1980s. The United Kingdom also has four operational pumped-hydro power stations, with a total generating capacity of 2.8 GW.
The benefits of PSH include its ability to store energy from intermittent sources, such as solar and wind power, for periods of higher demand. It also helps flatten out load variations on the power grid, allowing base-load electricity providers to operate more efficiently. Additionally, PSH systems have a long service life, with some lasting decades or even over a century.
However, there are also challenges to consider. Capital costs for pumped-storage plants can be high, and appropriate geography is critical in selecting plant sites. Additionally, there are losses due to friction within pipelines, known as "head losses" in the water industry, which reduce the overall efficiency of the system. Nevertheless, PSH remains a cost-effective means of storing large amounts of electrical energy.
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Using excess energy to charge electric vehicles
Electric vehicles (EVs) are automobiles that use an electric motor for propulsion. They are powered by an on-board battery pack that is charged by plugging into an electric power source. There are two types of EVs: battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs). BEVs rely solely on electricity stored in their batteries for all power needs, including driving, heating, and cooling the cabin. On the other hand, PHEVs can use either their electric motor or an internal combustion engine that runs on fuel.
Moreover, EVs can recapture energy during braking through regenerative braking, further boosting their overall efficiency. This recaptured energy can be used to recharge the battery and power auxiliary functions such as headlights, wipers, and radios. As a result, driving an EV requires about 70% less energy than a gasoline vehicle in states like South Dakota, Idaho, and Washington, which primarily use renewable energy sources.
By using excess energy to charge EVs, we can take advantage of their energy efficiency and reduce our carbon footprint. This approach is particularly beneficial in areas with abundant renewable energy sources, such as solar or wind power, where excess energy may otherwise be wasted. Additionally, charging EVs during off-peak hours, such as at night, can help balance the load on the electrical grid and potentially reduce costs.
However, it is important to note that energy losses do occur during the EV charging process due to resistance and heat generation. To minimize these losses, it is recommended to use shorter and thicker charging cables, especially when charging at higher speeds. Additionally, charging at lower speeds can reduce energy losses and contribute to the stability of the electricity grid. Therefore, it is beneficial to charge EVs at a slower rate whenever possible.
In conclusion, using excess energy to charge electric vehicles is a practical and environmentally friendly option. By leveraging the energy efficiency of EVs and the availability of excess renewable energy, we can reduce our reliance on fossil fuels and take a step towards a more sustainable future.
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Using excess energy to produce liquid fuel
Excess electricity can be used to produce liquid fuel, also known as electrofuel or e-fuel. This synthetic fuel can be used as a replacement for fossil fuels in internal combustion engines.
The process of producing liquid fuel from excess electricity typically involves using electrolysis to split water into hydrogen and oxygen. This hydrogen can then be combined with carbon dioxide to create synthetic hydrocarbons, such as methanol and diesel, through a process known as power-to-liquid (PtL or P2L). The carbon dioxide used in this process can be captured from the atmosphere or extracted from industrial exhaust gases, waste incineration plants, or biogenic sources.
Producing liquid fuel from excess electricity has the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the transport sector, particularly in long-distance freight, marine, and air transport, which cannot rely solely on electromobility due to their high energy requirements. By using excess electricity from renewable sources, such as wind, solar, or nuclear power, the carbon footprint of the liquid fuel production process can be minimized.
However, it is important to note that the production and use of electrofuels are not entirely carbon-neutral. Burning liquid electrofuels releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, though the overall carbon footprint is still considered low compared to traditional fossil fuels. Additionally, the energy conversion efficiency of electrofuels has been criticized, with some studies suggesting that direct electrification is more efficient. Nonetheless, the eFuel Alliance argues that the focus should be on the efficient production of renewable electricity rather than the end usage, as this enables the export of energy as liquid energy carriers.
Overall, using excess electricity to produce liquid fuel through electrolysis and power-to-liquid processes offers a promising solution for storing and utilizing excess energy while also contributing to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in the transport sector.
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Frequently asked questions
Excess electricity can be stored for future use or sold to the grid.
There are several methods to store excess electricity, including batteries, hydro, car-to-grid, rail energy, thermal storage, and compressed air energy storage.
Excess electricity can be used for various purposes, such as charging electric vehicles, powering home appliances, and supporting energy-intensive hobbies like crypto mining or woodworking.
Yes, blockchain technology enables peer-to-peer energy sales, allowing you to sell your excess solar power directly to your neighbour.
Excess solar power can be sold to the grid, stored for future use, or used to power your home or business. Net Metering (NEM) systems grant solar credits for excess power sent to the grid.
