Thermal energy storage stores wind power on college campus in Ireland

July 8, 2014

Wind power is intermittent and does not blow at a consistent rate day and night. In order to address this problem of intermittency and provide renewable power more efficiently, energy storage is being touted by many as the 'holy grail'. Energy storage can store renewables such as wind power during periods of low demand. This combination of both renewables and storage not only accelerates deployment of renewables on the grid but also helps companies to decrease their carbon footprints even while meeting increasing peak demands for electricity.

The success of storing wind at a building was recently evidenced in an article from the International Facility Management Association, wherein the source highlighted a recent implementation of thermal energy storage made by CALMAC. In that instance, the historic PJ Carroll building at the Dundalk Institute of Technology in Ireland showed just how useful ice storage systems can be in promoting renewable energy endeavors and smoothing power fluctuations from inconsistent wind generation.

Cleaner and greener
Dundalk's addition of a CALMAC ice-based thermal storage solution was shown to be effective in storing the renewable power the campus already had access to through its on-site wind power generation system. The series of turbines present at the school were installed in 2005 to help support a substantial portion of the school's campus power needs. With the student populations and energy needs increasing, DkIT sought a solution and found that potential savings existed from underutilized night-time wind power. Thermal energy storage was recommended as a technology that could store the excess night-time wind energy to even load factors plus reduce utility costs by about $8,000 a year.

Wind powered chiller equipment would make ice inside thermal energy storage tanks at night then the next day DkIT would use the ice to cool the PJ Carroll building. For added flexibility, chillers could run during the day and recharge the thermal storage tanks as needed. By storing the wind energy with thermal storage, DkIT was able to manage the fluctuating renewable energy supply so that occupants were kept cool and comfortable at all times.

According to Edel Donnelly, building-services engineer for BDP, "This installation provides the perfect example of how buildings can be used to even the peaks and troughs created on the national grid by the addition of wind resources."

Green building opportunities
Combining thermal energy storage and wind power generation assets can help companies like DkIT lower dependence on traditional energy resources and store clean power. This is not only a greener way to cool but also helps lower energy bills.