Blog

• 14.01.2012

Chemical Energy Storage

Through the up-coming change in energy sources, the percentage of those energy sources with fluctuating power, such as solar and wind energy, will constantly rise. The demand for energy storage capacity is constantly increasing. For the year 2015, an estimated electric storage capacity of 20 TWh is required; for the year 2020, this number will double to an estimated capacity of 40 TWh.  Available storage capacities in 2012 are scarce, being at 0.05 TWh (mainly through pump storage capacity). For this reason, excess electricity worth 40 million Euros had to be regulated down in 2011. At the moment, the available capacity in Germany is limited to 0,05 TWh through pump storage capacity. The possible expansion of this capacity amounting 0.06 TWh is expected to be insufficient. In contrast, countries in Scandinavia exhibit a more promising potential for pumping storage capacities, but its realization is not yet done. Moreover, transnational storage of energy could become a problematic issue. The alternative storage of electric power using car batteries is not an effective option, since the number of 42 million of vehicles could store only 0.42 TWh of electricity.

Acknowledging the theoretically storable amount of electricity and the variety of technical realizations, chemical storage of electric power presents the most attractive way to solve the issue of the missing storage capacities. Some of the most promising approaches to realize chemical storage of electricity have been investigated and highlighted in academic research efforts. For a breakthrough of this technology, however, much more effort has to be spent to improve the details of its realization. For this purpose, CreativeQuantum offers the whole spectrum of quantum chemical simulations and related predictions that allow for analysis and optimization of chemical reactions involved in the conversion of electric power to high-energetic chemical compounds. Suitable catalysts for those electrochemical processes can be specifically modified and evaluated with respect to their performance.

We combine this methodology with virtual screenings in order to propose the best candidates prior to their experimental evaluation in the laboratory, which is cost-intensive and time-consuming. In conclusion, the resources available for research and development in this field can be applied in a much more effective manner.

If you would like to benefit from the research methodologies of CreativeQuantum in a flexible way, we can provide the know-how and the equipment to realize stand-alone research topics (simulation service) and complex integrated research projects (contract research). Some of your possible questions may be addressed in the FAQ page, otherwise please do not hesitate to contact us.