A new type of floating generator has been created that solves problems with the use of solar energy

Scientists from the University of Port Said in Egypt and the University of Strathclyde in the UK have developed a new hybrid system that will make solar energy more stable, more affordable and help reduce the use of natural gas.

They proposed combining a compressed air energy storage system with a floating solar panels with a new energy management strategy. Lead author of the study Erkan Oterkus noted that the goal of this new system is to solve problems with intermittency and unavailability of solar energy.

The floating platform used to support solar panels is capable of automatically tracking sunlight and repositioning the panels to maximize energy production. The energy storage system consists of four steel air tanks placed on a floating platform. The hot compressed air is cooled in a heat exchanger before storage.

The researchers propose using a new energy management strategy based on human experience, intuition and mathematical models. Simulations showed that the efficiency of the new system reaches 34.1% in round-trip mode, and the energy efficiency is 41%. According to them, the hybrid system will save 126.4 m³ of natural gas per year and reduce operating costs by $27,690 annually.

Let us remind you that the Israeli company Eco Wave Power has launched a project to generate electricity from sea waves in the port of Jaffa. Researchers from Gutenberg University Mainz and the University of Siegen in Germany have developed a way to store solar energy by storing heat in the chemical bonds of molecules.

Leave a comment in Telegram channel NAnews ↓ — Israel News