History of first US compressed air energy storage (CAES) plant (110-MW-26 h). Volume 1, Early CAES development: Final report
- Alabama Electric Cooperative, Andalusia, AL (United States). CAES Plant
This is the first of three volumes which document the historical development of the first US compressed-air energy storage (CAES) Power-generation facility. Volume 1 is a background report and presents a chronicle of the development of the CAES facility from the early interest in CAES until inception of engineering/construction on August 11, 1988. The 110 MW - 26 hr CAES plant is owned and operated by Alabama Electric Cooperative, Inc. (AEC) of Andalusia, Alabama. The plant is the first CAES plant in the United States and the world`s first CAES facility incorporating a recuperator to improve efficiency. The plant supplies competitively priced peaking power to the AEC owner members. The economics of CAES-produced power is attractive because the energy-intensive air-compression mode is powered by relatively inexpensive base-load power external to the CAES plant. The compressed-air energy is stored underground until needed, and during the power-production mode, the only fuel required is that to heat the compressed air to expander-inlet temperature. The project development for AEC`s CAES plant involved much planning and preliminary design work. Specifically, this included load and generation-planning studies, power-supply selections, conceptual designs, project administration, air-storage cavern and turbomachinery specifications and design, contract requirements, environmental and licensing issues, and construction planning.
- Research Organization:
- Electric Power Research Inst., Palo Alto, CA (United States); Alabama Electric Cooperative, Andalusia, AL (United States). CAES Plant
- Sponsoring Organization:
- Electric Power Research Inst., Palo Alto, CA (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 10120190
- Report Number(s):
- EPRI-TR--101751-Vol.1; ON: UN93006575
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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