An energy storage system (TES) converts variable renewable electricity (VRE) to continuous heat at over 1000? C. Intermittent electrical energy heats a solid medium. Heat from the solid medium is delivered continuously on demand. Heat delivery via flowing gas establishes a thermocline which maintains high outlet temperature throughout discharge. The delivered heat which may be used for processes including power generation and cogeneration. In one application, the energy storage system provides higher-temperature heat to a steam cracking furnace system for converting a hydrocarbon feedstock into cracked gas, thereby increasing the efficiency of the temperature control.

A capacity configuration method for photovoltaic/photothermal/Advanced Adiabatic Compressed Air Energy Storage (AA-CAES) of combined cooling, heating and power (CCHP). The method includes: establishing a CCHP micro integrated energy system model containing AA-CAES, and then solving the model by using a dual-level planning approach. The upper level plans capacity configuration is planned with an objective of minimizing a sum of capacity configuration costs and lower-level scheduling costs, while the lower level employs parameters obtained from the upper level to implement season-based scheduling, with an objective of minimizing a sum of energy supply costs and carbon mitigation costs, and returns a scheduling result to the upper level to assist in upper-level capacity decisions. This method takes a CCHP capability of a compressed air energy storage system into consideration, and establishes a model suitable for capacity planning and scheduling.

A thermal energy storage system with fluid flow insulation, the system including heated thermal storage blocks positioned within a housing, and a method for operating the thermal energy storage system, including providing a flow of fluid into the housing, the fluid convectively extracting heat from a top region, a side region and a bottom region of the thermal energy storage system, to generate heated fluid that insulates the thermal storage blocks from the housing and a foundation of the thermal energy storage system.

An energy storage system converts variable renewable electricity (VRE) to continuous heat at over 1000? C. Intermittent electrical energy heats a solid medium. Heat from the solid medium is delivered continuously on demand. An array of bricks incorporating internal radiation cavities is directly heated by thermal radiation. The cavities facilitate rapid, uniform heating via reradiation. Heat delivery via flowing gas establishes a thermocline which maintains high outlet temperature throughout discharge. Gas flows through structured pathways within the array, delivering heat which may be used for processes including calcination, hydrogen electrolysis, steam generation, and thermal power generation and cogeneration. Groups of thermal storage arrays may be controlled and operated at high temperatures without thermal runaway via deep-discharge sequencing. Forecast-based control enables continuous, year-round heat supply using current and advance information of weather and VRE availability. High-voltage DC power conversion and distribution circuitry improves the efficiency of VRE power transfer into the system.

A thermal energy storage system comprising a working fluid to store and transfer thermal energy between a heat source and a thermal load and a vessel to store the working fluid. The vessel has an interior region and a floating separator piston in the interior region to separate a hot portion from a cold portion of the working fluid. There is a first manifold thermally coupled to an output of the heat source and to an input of the thermal load and fluidly coupled to the interior region of the vessel and a second manifold thermally coupled to an input of the heat source and an output of the thermal load and fluidly coupled to the interior region of the vessel. There is a controller configured to maintain the working fluid in a liquid state.

A system for providing access to a wireless communication network can include a plurality of renewable energy structures. Each renewable energy structure can include an electricity generation assembly, a telescoping support pole positioned to support the electricity generation assembly, and a wireless communication device configured to relay wireless communication signals between a host signal source and a client device. The electricity generation assembly can include a wind turbine assembly and/or a solar power structure. The wireless communication device can include a cellular telephone signal repeater and/or wireless internet equipment. Each structure can include a display, such as an advertisement, one or more benches, and/or a container. Each structure can optionally include a water purification system, one or more cameras, one or more lights, and/or one or more motion or voice sensors for activating or deactivating various components of the system. Each structure may be permanently installed or mobile.

There is provided a method of producing a product. The method comprises: supplying electricity generated in a photovoltaic cell arrangement and a piston engine, respectively, to electrolytic and catalytic reactions that are heated by concentrated sunlight; reacting carbon dioxide and water in the heated electrolytic and catalytic reactions to form a pressurized product, such as pressurized methanol; and expanding the pressurized product in the piston engine to generate electricity. There is also provided a system for production of the product as well as devices to be used in the method or system.

An apparatus for production of steam from an aqueous liquid includes (a) a solar panel with a pliable, essentially impermeable, polymer membrane having an outer surface and an inner surface, wherein the outer surface is adapted to be directed towards the sun; a lattice structure adapted to support the inner surface of the polymer membrane; a backing, which together with the pliable polymer film, encases the lattice structure; an inlet for the aqueous liquid; an outlet for the steam produced, and (b) means for providing a vacuum connected to the outlet. The apparatus can be produced with few and relatively simple components thereby reducing the cost of the apparatus.

Compositions, devices, systems, and methods directed to concentrating solar power are disclosed. In certain aspects, the disclosure is directed to a heat storage material comprising a transformative alloy composition (internal core component) AlBSiFe/Al.sub.2O.sub.3B.sub.2O.sub.3SiO.sub.2Fe.sub.3O.sub.4 embedded in a SiC outer coating.

Disclosed herein is a method comprising heating a strontium-containing compound using radiation in a first reactor; decomposing the strontium-containing compound into an oxide and carbon dioxide as a result of heat generated by the exposure to the radiation; reacting the oxide and the carbon dioxide in a second reactor; where the oxide and carbon dioxide react to produce heat; heating a working fluid using the heat produced in the second reactor; and driving a turbine with the heated working fluid to generate energy. Disclosed herein too is a composition comprising strontium carbonate; and strontium zirconate; where the mass ratio of strontium carbonate to strontium zirconate 2:8 to 8:2.