Principle of operation

EWE GASSPEICHER is pursuing a sustainable and forward-looking vision in the brine4power project. The aim of the project is to combine redox flow technology with underground salt caverns as electrolyte tanks. The special feature is the use of organic active materials which can be placed in salt-cavern. In this way, previously unattainable amounts of energy can be stored.

Since the beginning of energy transition, the energy system is facing new challenges as renewables are being expanded all over the country. Electrical energy has so far been very difficult to store. As long as electricity was generated predominantly from fossil fuels, fluctuations between the amount of electricity generated and the amount actually consumed could be regulated relatively easily by powering up or shutting down power plants. In these cases, positive or negative control energies provided a corresponding balance.

Renewable energies are low-emission and climate-friendly. But their performance remains dependent on the weather. On sunny and windy days, the amount of energy fed into the grid can be significantly higher than required. But if the wind is neither blowing nor the sun is shining, there may not be enough energy available. Only storage facilities can help to balance fluctuations between supply and demand.

EWE GASSPEICHER is a specialist for large storage facilities. With brine4power it will be possible to store large quantities of wind and solar energy. The new technology is based on electrolytes using organic active materials.