Current research and development trend of compressed air energy storage

Power generation from renewable energy has become more important due to the increase of electricity demand and pressure on tough emission reduction target. This has brought great impact on grid reliable operation. Wind curtailment often happens when grid can not accommodate more wind power. Various solutions are under investigation and energy storage (ES) is one of the recognized potential ways forward. Among all the ES technologies, Compressed Air Energy Storage (CAES) has demonstrated its unique merit in terms of scale, sustainability, low maintenance and long life time. The paper is to provide an overview of the current research trends in CAES and also update the technology development. The paper has also given a comprehensive review to the work conducted by the researchers in China.