Electricity is required everywhere, there is no concept like electricity detox. We depend on it, and it is a necessity. The society demands more and more electricity. The sad fact that continues to hover us is that electricity is scarce. The gap between the supply and demand for power is increasing with each passing day. Sink Float Solutions is innovative and economic way to Store Energy
Also, another major issue is that electricity when, generated is not used and thus in the absence of proper storage solutions, there is wastage of electricity. There is a strong requirement for energy storage for future use. Even if there is an option to store energy for future uses the problem that arises is the cost and carbon print involved in the storage of electricity.
Sink Float Solutions: Sustainable energy solutions for future generations:
For the betterment of the environment and future generations, it is important to switch to a sustainable and economically viable solution. There have been efforts made in this direction, and it can be seen by the growth of solar and wind farms. The cost to set up these farms is reducing considerably, and this is a positive sign.
However, the two sources Sun and wind are not dependable as the Sun may not shine brightly, and wind may not blow. Thus the only way to furnish the requirements of electricity is using conventional power plants. It is mostly by using fossil fuels and this increases global warming. Thus to avoid such situations of variability in case of renewable energy production, the need is to switch over to a parallel and efficient energy storage solution.
One such energy storage solution by Sink Float Solutions is Deep ocean gravitational energy storage. The technology has been developed and patented by the company. It uses two free and unlimited elements, namely:
- Gravity
- Depth of the seas
Deep ocean gravitational energy storage solutions are the call of the hour, and the aim is to reduce the cost of energy storage to ensure continuous, cost-effective, and CO2 free renewable electricity production. The technology responds to 3 primary challenges that the world is facing from the point of electricity and its storage. The technology is easy to implement, scalable, efficient, and very economical.
How does deep ocean gravitational energy storage system work?
Technology is based on a very simple and existing law or working of nature. It is known that a concrete mass attached to floats below the sea surface. There is a barge equipped with the winch connected to the electric network by an underwater cable.
When there is a network display of excess electricity from wind or solar the winch starts to transform it into potential energy by raising the masses of concrete one by one from the bottom of the sea to the surface, and attaching it to the floats. Then during the phase when there is no energy from the wind or sun, this energy is transformed back to electricity to supply it the consumers. For this phase, the winch will not work as the motor but like in a generator mode and let the masses go down one by one.
Economical feasibility:
As per the distance from the ocean to the coasts, the depth of the sea, and the required storage time (MWh/ MW) the system from Sink Floats Solutions takes 5 to 20 times less investment than the present storage solutions. Importantly, for the complete cycle, the energy efficiency is more than 80%.
Features of the deep ocean gravitational energy storage system:
Sink Float Solutions – Storing energy for long periods-If there is a requirement to store the energy for long periods like 6 hours to 3 days the deep ocean energy storage solutions can do it. The technology has this biggest advantage of storing energy for a long time in a very economical manner without leading to unnecessary costs.
The technology has been patented- the technology has been developed and patented by Sink Float Solutions. The technology is available in different variants as per the need and costs while initiating the operation. The variants come from several patent families like the storm resistance, control of masses movement, hooking operations, control of maintenance and anchoring costs. There is a long list modifications that aims at reducing the costs, facilitating lifting, hooking operations, and increasing the life of the system.
list of options are as follows:
- Placing the floats several tens of meters below the surface- floats are a large part of the system. Stabilizing them well below the surface protects them from waves and wind forces during the storm. The anchoring cables are used to stabilize the variants is planned to fill the empty floats with compressed air and thus floating in the water. Another way to target the same objective is including the floats with mass during the descent. The volume will drop with pressure and gradually get filled with flexible envelopes.
- Winch is placed on a stabilized support below the surface. This component is separated from the float group and based on the above principal it works.
- Closed loop cable hoisting system with driving pulleys and pulleys at the bottom to prohibit gyratory movements.
- Attachment system includes unhooking by mini winches, thrusters and other devices.
- Hanging and hooking system varies from the simplest synthetic slings to the very sophisticated ones.
- Considering the weight of hoisting cables, elongation of cables over a charge cycle.
- Different materials for masses, concrete, construction waste, steel and a few more.
- The design is efficient to limit the hydrodynamic friction losses on masses and cables.
Scalable mode
There are a few fixed operational costs and a few associated with the scalable effects like the hydrodynamics and the cost of underwater connection. The technology is economically viable for powers of more than 10MW, which if compared to conventional cycle gas plant is less by 50 times. In conventional plants also the larger the size of unit the lesser is the overall cost of the storage device.
The technology states the same rule for this storage solution also. As per theory there is no limit to the power, offshore cranes with the largest capacity can lift masses of 4000tns at a vertical speed of 20 km/h, this results in a power of 200MW. Thus many winches can be installed at the same site that can be used parallel to each other.
Combining the available components
Technology used the components that are presently available. Barge, winch, concrete weights, anchor cables and steel floats are already available and are being used on an industrial scale from a very long time in the offshore sector. The technology just assembles all these components in a different way to store energy.
Swift industrialization
Complete process of energy storage can be industrialized in a very short period that is less than a year. Moreover, the outsourcing component manufacturing to may of the existing shipyards will also not take much time. The complete process of installation can be done a very low cost as the storage units are equipped with integrated lifting device, that allows self-installation of the hanging points, masses and cables. With the conventional shipping transports the masses can be hooked to the respective floats and just require to be towed to the place where they will be used.
Environment-friendly, inexhaustible, and resistant
Most appealing and commendable aspect of this technology is that uses components, which are available in inexhaustible quantities and are ecologically clean. Situated at a distance of 10 to 200 km from the coasts. The storage system is not apparently visible and it remains underwater therefore it does not hinder the maritime traffic. The size varies and can exceed several hundred meters long, it is completely underwater. Thus the system continues to be undetectable and cannot be destroyed by the conventional ways.
Manufacturing of concrete consumes energy and emits CO2. Still it is important to remember that 4,000 meters of unevenness (cable floats) are made of steel and it is recyclable material. The masses also contain construction wastes or any other material that is denser than water and therefore constitute a new outlet for recycling streams.
Comparing to the conventional units of production, storage and transmission infrastructure of energy (nuclear, coal, gas power plants, high voltage overhead lines, battery stations, hydroelectric dams, or pumped electric energy storage) can be attacked by various modes but the underwater storage system remain safe and can be attacked only a few underwater attack force. Additionally the possibility of managing the growing of wind turbines and photovoltaic parks will make the energy mix more difficult and costly affair to maintain.
This Sink Floats Solutions is proud to claim that there is no obstacle in the path of its growth. It can be done rapidly and also scaled very easily and in an economic viable manner. Using this technology is taking a strong leap towards sustainable and economically viable energy storage solution.