EMMETEnergy is developing an affordable, large-scale storage for renewable energy based on methane (CH4). By using methane as energy carrier, the current natural gas storage capacity, is ready and available for storing months of energy production.
In combination with for example a windfarm, EMMETEnergy fully replaces current power plants (slide on the picture to get an impression).
For the Netherlands a storage capacity of 20 TWh and a load/unload capacity of 10 GW is calculated. This system serves 3 purposes:
-
- Covering fluctuations in renewable energy production and demand (intermittency)
- Preventing the need for and management of overcapacity of renewable energy production (curtailment)
- Serving as a strategic energy reserve
With an estimated (to be proven!) roundtrip efficiency of 60% the system is an economic viable storage solution for seasonal fluctuations in energy production on national level.
A pilot system is being built in coöperation with the Technical University of Eindhoven.