Combined cycle power plantsSupplementing fluctuating yields from renewables

In future, the integration of increasingly large amounts of electricity produced from wind energy and solar power will present a considerable challenge for fossil-fuelled power plant fleets and the electricity grid. Particularly in spring and autumn, surplus electricity will be created by wind energy that could be useful for meeting peak loads in summer. The electricity storage systems available to date (pumped-storage power plants and adiabatic and thermal storage systems) are unable to store such large volumes of energy. However, by generating hydrogen-rich fuel gas from surplus electricity and by storing it in underground storage reservoirs until it can be used in modern combined cycle power plants, it will be possible to make renewable electricity available regardless of the time of day and season. ©IMW/TU Clausthal