Concept
The increasing share of intermittent renewables in the electricity mix creates the need for efficient
and viable electricity storage solutions to stabilize the grid. In the ALACAES storage technology,
excess electricity from the grid is used to compress air using adiabatic compressors. The hot stream
of compressed air is then cooled down in a thermal energy storage before being stored in mountain
caverns. When needed, the direction of the flow is reversed to convert the compressed air back to
electricity using turbines.
AIR STORAGE
ELECTRICITY
IN
THERMAL ENERGY
STORAGE
ELECTRICITY
OUT
Pilot Plant
The world-wide first pilot plant is being
constructed by ALACAES in the Swiss Alps to test
the critical components of the technology. It has
received a grant of 1.3m from the Swiss Federal
Office of Energy.
Product Roadmap
2012
Inception
2014/15
Pilot Plant
2015
Strategic
Partnerships
Key Highlights
AA-CAES
Market
Secondary Reserve Market
Energy Balancing
Peak Shaving
T&D Deferral
Black-Start Services
Charge
Discharge
Electricity
M Motor
G Generator
Pilot Plant under construction in an unused tunnel
M
G
2016
Commercial Plant
Feasibility Study
2017
100 bar
70 bar