Slowly but surely, the science/technology
of energy-banking left the realm of pipe dream and made its way into the
real-life land of pipeline.
Energy-banking, stowing power away to be
used a later day, is an idea whose time very much has come. In fact, according
to a recent newspaper item (the [Vancouver] Columbian, "Northwest energy storage
concepts explored,"
2/5/2012): "… a group of researchers led by the Richland-based Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and the Bonneville Power Administration are exploring whether that idea can
be" restyled into our own Pacific Northwest version of the "natural
gas storage facilities that are common across the country." Study
participants estimate they'll finish their work later this year.
The idea is to put excess energy in the
"bank" -- sock it away "in the form of compressed air and water
in the Northwest’s expansive, porous underground basalt formations." It is
very important to keep the research ball rolling because our Northwest power
grid is under a great deal of pressure. Notes the newspaper item: "Excess
energy has been a problem in the past. Just last year, unusually high flows in
the Columbia River Basin put the region’s hydroelectric dams at maximum
capacity."
Enter the Legislature. Just recently the House Technology, Energy
& Communications Committee conducted a fact-finding work session on energy-storage issues. The committee
has already passed to the
House Rules Committee an energy-storage bill, House Bill 2198, which is prime-sponsored by state Rep. Jeff Morris. The measure directs that electric
utilities must do an assessment of energy-storage systems in the integrated
resource plan that already must be done by the utilities. Energy-banking
backers emphasize that energy-storage has huge potential, especially as it
relates to renewable portfolio standards requirements.
What's more, federal Energy Secretary Steven Chu maintained in a February 2010 statement:
"Without technological breakthroughs in efficient, large-scale energy
storage, it will be difficult to rely on intermittent renewables for much more
than 20 to 30 percent of our electricity."
A good example of the "intermittent
renewables" to which the secretary refers would be a wind farm that
generates power only when it’s windy. It's very difficult to count on these
energy sources for consistent power, unlike a natural-gas plant.
