STTR Phase I: Integrated Chemical and Supercritical Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Energy Storage

小型企业技术转让(STTR)项目的更广泛影响/商业潜力，以解决能源储存方面的技术创新。对于能源公用事业行业来说，能源储存是一项关键技术，可以提供更可靠和负担得起的能源供应、更清洁的环境和更强大的能源基础设施。能源储存的具体优势包括在风暴和其他自然灾害期间提供强大的能源供应，帮助应对和恢复工作。这项技术还可以在受到物理和网络安全威胁时保持发电厂和电网的运转。该项目使电网具有出色的稳定性和发电厂的灵活性，以适应各种可再生能源技术的发展和电气化交通系统的扩展。这个STTR第一阶段项目旨在解决能源储存方面的技术创新。由于这种存储而降低的水平电力成本可以直接惠及美国和全球的最终用户和更广泛的人口。值得注意的是，现有的机械存储技术具有许多吸引人的特征，如中短负载响应、黑启动、健壮、长寿命、安全和高效，但这些技术不善于满足可伸缩性、可靠性和紧凑性指标。另一方面，化学品储存具有中等负荷响应、长寿命和可扩展性，但在安全性、短期负荷响应、黑启动和效率方面存在不足。拟议的解决方案允许能源公司探索低成本技术，这些技术可以提供更好的性能，并可以很容易地与现有的化石发电厂整合。主要的创新结合了机械和化学存储技术，因此所产生的技术适应了最好的功能，以更低的资本、运营和维护成本提供更高的性能。这里提出的机械和化学混合系统使用超临界二氧化碳(SCO2)作为机械存储组件，而化学存储则使用天然气或氢气实现。这项拟议的技术被称为综合化学和二氧化硅储能(ICsCO2ES)。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The broader impact/ commercial potential of this Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) project to address a technological innovation in energy storage. Energy storage is a critical technology for the energy utility industries offering more reliable and affordable energy supply, a cleaner environment, and stronger energy infrastructure. Specific advantages of energy storage include a robust energy supply during storms and other natural disasters, aiding response and recovery efforts. This technology may also keep power plants and the grid functioning in times of physical and cyber-security threats. The project enables excellent grid stability and power plant flexibility to accommodate the growth of various renewable energy technologies and the expansion of electrified transportation systems. This STTR Phase 1 project proposes to address a technological innovation in energy storage. The reduced Levelized Electricity Cost due to this storage can directly benefit the end-users and broader population in the US and across the globe. Notably, existing mechanical storage technologies have many attractive features such as short to mid-load response, black start, robust, long life, safety, and efficiency, but these technologies are not good at meeting scalability, reliability, and compactness metrics. On the other hand, chemical storage has mid-load response, long-lifetime, and scalability, but is inadequate with regard to safety, short-load response, black start, and efficiency. The proposed solution allows energy companies to explore low-cost technologies that can offer better performance and can be easily integrated with existing fossil power plants. The primary innovation combines mechanical and chemical storage technologies so that the resultant technology adapts the best features to provide enhanced performance at a cheaper capital, operational, and maintenance cost. The hybrid mechanical and chemical system proposed here uses supercritical carbon dioxide (sCO2) as the mechanical storage component, while chemical storage is achieved using natural gas or hydrogen. This proposed technology is referred to as an integrated chemical and sCO2 energy storage (ICsCO2ES).This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.