As we are all aware, coal energy in the way it is currently used is anything but efficient. On top of the amount of fuel and resources needed to operate a plant that produces more power than it consumes; but plants also have to produce more power than needed in case there is a power surge requirement.
But there is a new idea that has been proposed by a joint effort of Leeds University and the Chinese Academy of Sciences. that would help make the most of the excess energy by storing it in a way that would make it accessible during peak usage times.
The new method would use the extra energy that would otherwise be lost to freeze a combination of liquid nitrogen and oxygen. When demand for power spikes the mixture is boiled utilizing excess heat generated by the plant which will free the stored energy. By doing this coal burning power plants will be able to cut down energy consumption during peak usage by up to 50%. This would be a huge advantage over current methods.
For now, when an energy grid is in peak time and requires the extra energy, natural gas powers generators, jump starting additional plants. This is very inefficient and expensive, however utilizing the cryogenic method would use much less power and cost less than current methods. Of course, as this process is still just in theory, the true benefits are fully unknown. We at Set It Aside hope to see the system go into testing soon and will keep you updated. Though coal is still detrimental to the environment, this method would be a great stepping stone as we advance into cleaner technologies.
