Startup Aims to Store Renewable Energy in Ocean Depths with Saltwater System

Startup Aims to Store Renewable Energy in Ocean Depths with - Ocean-Based Energy Storage Solution A startup called Sizable E

Ocean-Based Energy Storage Solution

A startup called Sizable Energy is developing a novel approach to energy storage by adapting traditional pumped hydro technology for marine environments, sources indicate. The company recently secured $8 million in funding led by Playground Global with participation from several venture firms, according to TechCrunch reports. The technology aims to address the growing need for long-duration energy storage as renewable energy sources like wind and solar become more prevalent.

How the Marine Storage System Works

The company’s power plant design features two flexible, sealed reservoirs connected by a plastic tube containing turbines, the report states. One reservoir floats at the ocean surface while the other rests on the seabed. When electricity is abundant and inexpensive, the turbines pump supersalty water from the bottom reservoir to the top. During periods of high energy demand, valves open and the dense, salt-concentrated water flows downward through the turbines, generating electricity as it returns to the lower reservoir.

“From the energy balance point of view, what we are doing is lifting block of salt. But instead of using cranes, we dissolve it and pump it just because it’s easier, simpler,” Manuele Aufiero, Sizable Energy’s co-founder, told TechCrunch. “Other than that, we are just lifting a heavy amount of salt.”, according to related news

Advantages Over Traditional Energy Storage

Analysts suggest that moving energy storage offshore could provide significant advantages. Traditional pumped hydro facilities, which store over 8,500 gigawatt-hours of electricity globally according to International Energy Agency data, require specific topographical conditions that limit their deployment. Sizable’s ocean-based approach potentially enables mass production and standardized components regardless of deployment location.

“Every time you build pumped hydro on shore, you have to design a concrete dam for that specific site, and you have to adapt the technology there,” Aufiero explained in the report. “Building offshore allows us to streamline the production, and everything we do is identical, regardless of the final deployment site.”

Cost and Deployment Timeline

The company reportedly aims to deliver energy storage at approximately €20 per kilowatt-hour (about $23), which would represent roughly one-tenth the cost of current grid-scale battery storage. Each turbine in the full-scale system would generate between 6 to 7 megawatts of electricity, with one turbine installed for every 100 meters of pipe. Deeper ocean sites would offer greater storage capacity due to the increased height difference between reservoirs.

Sizable Energy has already tested small-scale models in wave tanks and off the coast of Reggio Calabria, Italy. The company is currently deploying pilot floating components ahead of a full demonstration plant. According to reports, Sizable hopes to deploy several commercial projects at sites worldwide by 2026.

Integration with Renewable Energy

The technology appears particularly suited for integration with offshore wind projects, as sharing electrical connections to shore could reduce costs. However, sources indicate the system could connect to any grid near waters at least 500 meters (1,640 feet) deep.

“We believe that long duration energy storage is required not only for renewable integration, but also for just making the grid resilient,” Aufiero stated in the report. “There is no way we can keep up with that with traditional pumped hydro or batteries. We need something new.”

The development comes as global energy storage capacity needs to expand significantly to support the transition to renewable energy, according to industry analysts. Sizable’s approach represents one of several innovative solutions emerging to address the intermittency challenges of solar and wind power.

References & Further Reading

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