Renewable energy from the sun and wind is often difficult to store. This is the main barrier in the global transition to renewable energy.
According to Reuters, renewable energy from the sun and wind is often difficult to store. This is the main barrier in the global transition to renewable energy.
Facility with energy storage and production technology from Augwind Energy at Kibbutz Yahel, Israel. (Photo: Reuters)
However, in Kibbutz Yahel, a community not far from the Red Sea, residents have begun to utilize a new technology that can store solar energy efficiently and produce energy even at night.
During the day, energy from solar panels is transferred to a system where water is used to concentrate air in underground containers. After sunset, the air is “released” to power a turbine that generates electricity. This cycle is repeated in the morning.
This system was developed by Augwind Energy (Israel). Unlike ground-based systems that operate with concentrated air and require significant space, Augwind Energy’s product only requires thin steel containers with a special polymer lining, installed right at the energy source at a lower cost.
The technology, named “AirBattery”, achieves an 80% efficiency in energy storage. The CEO of Augwind Energy, Or Yogev, stated: “In the coming years, we will have thousands of megawatt-hours installed using AirBattery technology. But even then, when you compare it to the size of the market, it is still quite small.”
