Africa air energy storage central africa

Where is compressed air energy storage most likely to be used?

North America and Sub-Saharan Africa have the highest shares globally. Northeast and Southeast Asia have the least potential for compressed air storage. This paper presents the geological resource potential of the compressed air energy storage (CAES) technology worldwide by overlaying suitable geological formations, salt deposits and aquifers.

Is compressed air energy storage a feasible solution?

Storing intermittently generated renewable energy with compressed air energy storage (CAES) seems to have become more than a feasible solution in recent months, as several large-scale projects have been announced in the United States, Israel and Canada.

What is compressed air energy storage (CAES)?

Therefore, some sort of balancing is needed to match electricity generation and demand. Compressed air energy storage (CAES) technology is a known utility-scale storage technology able to store excess and low value off-peak power from baseload generation capacities and sell this power during peak demand periods.

What type of energy is used in Africa?

Gas and oil (6% of total in Africa) dominate in north African countries, whereas coal is mainly exploited in South Africa. Nuclear (2% of total in Africa) and geothermal power (1% of total in Africa) have a minor role in the continental electricity generation mix.

How much energy does Africa use per capita?

If an African average annual per capita electricity consumption of 602 kWh (Figs. 4b,e, Supplementary Tables 1 and 2) or a world average of 3,513 kWh (Figs. 4c,f, Supplementary Tables 1 and 2) is assumed, the RE transformation potential reduces largely, manifesting the need for additional RE potential exploitation and innovation.

Could compressed air energy storage be a solution to weak interconnection?

Compressed air energy storage (CAES) may become an interesting solution for countries with weak interconnection with their neighbors, according to scientists from Finland’s Lappeenranta University of Technology (LUT).