Enhance the Wind Power Utilization Rate with Thermal Energy Storage System

A novel thermal energy storage system that can store large amounts of wind power by high temperature phase change materials (PCMs) has been developed. Wind power is growing rapidly due to the global environmental concern regarding green and clean energy. However, the extent of concerns become greater of wind curtailed loss due to insufficient transmission capacity, which contributes to serious wind power curtailment and reduction in economic benefits of wind farms. Large-scale thermal energy storage provides a solution to enhance wind power utilization. On the basis of high thermal capacity PCMs and cogeneration technologies, the uncertain wind power is converted into thermal energy, which can be stored in thermal energy storage. An optimized storage system and heat/electric cogeneration system is designed for wind power system. The stored thermal energy can be used for residents, such as hot water, heating, etc. In particular, it can satisfy heating demands such as household heating in the north of china. This system could be used instead of conventional heating boilers and reduce fossil fuel consumption.