's Comments

There is a distinction between distributed storage(Batteries etc) and Bulk Energy Storage( PHS, CAES)the comment that CAES needs fossil fuel is correct today, however Thermal energy storage(TES) is advancing in Germany, where Energy storage due to wind energy disruptions is urgently needed. A 90 MW(e) ACAES(Adiabatic)no fossil fuel, will be demonstrated in 2016 with the aim of 300MW systems that can act as firm power suppliers to the grid.Yes caven(underground) storage is required and available in Germany(German Utilies were pioneers of CAES 300 MW plant at Huntorf)In the case of Monatana such faciliites would need to be developed. If all this is possible Wind Energy could meet daily capacity demands as firm power.

Ionah is correct--Namibia is on the West Coast of Southern Africa. 500 MW LARGE-plenty of space, however some details are missing, actual loaction and transmission access.Just cannot see Mines and Industry waiting for the sun rise to start their day working, mining is a 24x7 operation. Large renewable resources face a challenge to integrate with the grid and some form of Energy Storage will be required, after all the sun does not shine 24 hrs a day.Dust is another issue for desert areas,as well as sand blasting from winds.No doubt all planned for. Progress reports will be welcome as the project moves forward.

CSP that use steam water cycles and wet cooling use 6 acre feet of water/ MW year. The water evaporates in the cooling process, when steam is condensed--there is also make-up and blow down water. This requires Zero discharge systems. The Condensate, boiler feed water needs chemical treatment and make up water needs demineralization.The boiler needs qualified and certified boiler operators. Dry cooling can be applied ( does not totally elimate water use) This adds cost and impacts performance of the Rankine cycle.
CSP using Cascading Closed Loop Organic Rankine cycle-CCLC Patented by WOW Energies Inc, totally eliminates water use, can be operated remotely, un-attended, can be built as small as 5.0 MWe up to 25 MWe or multiples there of. Smaller systems can be loacted closer to load centers, eliminate transmission losses--why fuss with steam water cycles--this should keep Solar boosters happy and save water for the thirsty planet.

Renewable Energy fine ! just be prepared to pay more for energy, clean water and the current lifestyle enjoyed.There is no free lunch--in the meantime the US must remain competitive in the world market.
Belt tightening in all respects will eventualy get us there--does the general public have that patience and resillience?

To get the maximum wind energy to the market and consequetnly reduce the costs, wind must be dispatcheable. CAES technology is the answer the stored enery converted to power can now be dispatched under a grid guaranteed capacity agreement. The capacity factor of wind turbines of 30 % can now be 60% or more. The installed number of WTG's make a larger contribution, and green power users can contract for greater capacity at competitive levels.CAES also avoids having to use Gas Turbine or GT Combined Cycles to fill in the voids of wind power generation.
ShellWind and TXU are seriously looking at this possibility for 3000 MW--should they proceed with this concept Texas will certainly be a leader in abundant lower cost renewable energy.

A few thoughts and corrections.The Alabama project stores the air in a solution mined cavern in a salt dome. Storing air in deep saline aquifers, is no different that storing natural gas in a similar manner.About 75 % of the Continental US is suitable for storage in one manner or another.
There are concepts to expand the air from storage without being contaminated by combustion gases.The wind energy contribution can therefore be kept "green". The combustion of natural gas in a Gasturbine, where the exhaust heat is used to raise the temperature of the stored air before expansion.The combination of very low GT pollution and zero wind energy pollution makes a very desirable power generating plant.
Smaller CAES systems, while more expensive, are proposed see www.eniswindgen.com here you will find many solutions to using adiabatic expansion, i.e no fossil fuel.

Wind Energy and Energy Storage makes a great combination.The Wind Turbine Generators(WTG)can now deliver more(50% to 65%) of the design capability at a time when it is most needed by the grid, rather than tax the grid with variability and fickleness of the Wind. I suggest that for the smaller storage systems that are now proposed to integrate Wind and Storage, that readers also go to www.eniswindgen.com and for an overview of Energy Storage benefits that readers go to www.energystoragecouncil.org .The ISEP project is a move in the right direction for bulk energy storage, and smaller more flexible systems will be a welcome addition to the Power Generation market.

As mentioned the Wind Energy promoters write very good press releases and one should not be fooled.The fact that Wind can contribute as a low emissions producer is admirable ,but lets not count on the installed capacity of 10,000MW actually displacing the equivalent of CO2 from coal fired plants that have modern combustion systems.The 10,00MW equals only 3,000MW of actual capacity.One MW of installed high efficiency GTCC plant powers 800 homes while one MW of installed WTG's can only power 300 homes optimistically.
The additional cost of the 'extra" WTG can more gainfully spent on Bulk Energy Storage technolgies, this will allow deeper penetration of Wind Energy in the power market and bring real value from the ambitious 20 % renewable energy projected or desired.

Not exactly cheap $1638/kW and if avearge capacity factor is 50%(which is high) the actual cost would be more than $3200/kW. Capturing the full capacity by storing wind energy using Pumped Hydro or Compressed air facilites, woud truly bring the full benefit of Wind Energy.
Credits for low emissions--but let's not forget that the wind now delivered as electricity will add to Thermal Pollution.

Adrian in his comments has the right idea, why not store energy from renewable sources such as wind, especially when there is no demand and that energy potential is not captured or wasted.Wind Enewrgy can be readily stored as well as Solar energy without resorting to chemical batteries, the surplus energy can be stored as compressed air, which when expanded in a Turbo-expander generator during high demand periods, can provide additional kW/hrs. The by-product of this expansion is very cold air which can be harvested to make ice, and stored for day time use by central cooling systems. Using the T-CAES system www.eniswindgen.com for storage and generation can greatly benefit the variable nature of Wind and Solar energy.

Ten years of effort to get a WTG project approved, and that in a Technologically advanced and informed country.!The world has raced ahead with wind turbine installations, where demand has exceeded supply and prices have gone from $1.0 Million a MW to $1.3 and as high as $1.7 Million a MW. The price to pay for procrastination on a technology well suited to the winds of the Cape, and furthermore that such renewable energy can be stored in the Steenbras ? pumed storage facility.Lets hope that this pioneering project helps South Africa contrribute to the Global Renewable Energy emissions reduction campaign

Compressed Air Energy Storage (CAES) is a technology with proven economics as Alabama Cooperative would attest to. It takes Municipalities and Cooperatives to apply innovative systems such as CAES, we now see an Association of Iowa Municipalites taking the lead to integrate Wind Energy with CAES for 200MW genrating capacity, Iowa Stored Energy Project(ISEP). Utilites take the easy way out and install Combustion turbines(GT's) that use 2/3 more NG than CAES plant. More important is the benefit of stored energy as a cost effective load management system, and many other benefits other than a peak load system.
Small CAES with pipe or tank stored air can benefit renewable systems such as wind solar, and even stream flow hydro, by storing excess energy which is released on demand. Such extended benefits can be viewed on www.energystoragecouncil.org

Amazing how the New England States can complain about pollution blowing in from the Mid West coal fired plants, but are unwilling to increase Wind Energy which is clean , but in some eyes if they can see that far(6 miles),WTG's are considerd unsightly, yet these opponents feel quite happy going along with the most ugly wooden poles and overhead power lines foisted on Communities. The external power suppliers, Canada the Mid-West and others could be a factor to apply pressure to NIMBY proponents and selfish Oligarchs

The T-CAES (transporatble compressed air energy storage )System might be an appropriate sytem to provide 0.5 MW stored capacity per 2.5 MW WTG. This will provide smoothing power as well as peak shaving power, and extends the kW/hr generating capacity of each WTG unit.This especially with wind intermittency. Compressed air is stored in an above ground tank, from which air is expanded adiabtically(no fuel added) to generate power in an expander generating unit.The T-CAES can be located at substations or end use facilities. Wind remains a source of clean energy.