Something new in power technology

The use of compressed-air energy storage (CAES), in which off-peak electricity is used to compress air and store it in a cavern underground, is described. To supply electricity during peak load, the compressed air is released to a combuster where it mixes with oil or gas. The operation of the 110-MW McIntosh plant of the Alabama Electric Cooperative is explained. The fact that three-fourths of the area of the US contains potential sites for CAES power plants, together with the excellent performance of the McIntosh plant, makes CAES a leading candidate for energy storage in the future.<
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