Storage of Electrical Energy

How much energy?

Battery or pumped storage?

Rule #75 AGAIN!

yes off-course by using battery,capacitor,induction coil. you will get info here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battery_(electricity) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flow_Battery http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fuel_cells http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capacitor http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Energy_storage

Two good answers, but I just want to call more attention to pumped storage (mentioned by TonyS in #1).

This provides large scale power storage--the idea is that, when you have excess power, you use it to pump water back up into the dam behind a hydroelectric station.

Pumped storage has always fascinated me, to stand in the main hall of Dinorwig was amazing, forget amazing, I was GOB SMACKED. See http://www.fhc.co.uk/dinorwig.htm.
I've also been inside the pump at Clachan power station. Clachan is a bit strange as it has a separate pump and generator.

In these tight economic times, more people are choosing to make their own electricity at home. And it can be just as good as fancy (usually imported) brand-name grid electricity. But quality storage to keep your homemade electricity fresh is crucial.

Unlike the brand-name stuff, homemade electricity doesn't come with any artificial additives or preservatives. This means it's healthier for your appliances but it also doesn't last as long around the house. If possible, keep your electricity in an opaque airtight container or small vacuum-sealed bags. Under NO circumstances keep it in a metal pot or in a bowl covered with aluminum foil. If you do, you'll come back later to find some or even all of it missing!

Avoid storing electricity in the refrigerator or freezer. This may cause your food to taste a little like ozone. Also, the little light bulb in there will stay on all the time.

Fresh electricity will have a healthy blue glow and make a cracking sound when squeezed. But don't throw out stale electricity! If not too spent, it can usually be revived. Simply crack a couple of batteries into the container and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until you can't feel any resistance.

LOL.

I like running it through a pasta machine with the spaghetti cutter attached. That way I get a bunch of wires with the electricity already stored in them.

Personally, I like the pure sine wave pasta machines. Makes for smoother electricity. Not at all like the cheap imported modified sine wave pasta machines.

I agree, home made is the best choice.

As stated it does not keep well.

In addition, we have tried both types of pasta machines but have found that the electricity goes bad after about 6 months.

For any of you that has had the displeasure of opening a container of electricity that has gone rancid, I don't have to tell you about what a bad experience that is!

Out here we "can" our home made electricity. We take our electricity and place it into an 8 quart, glass (very important to use glass as stated above) cooking pan. We bring the electricity to a boil for exactly 3 minutes. It must be a rolling boil! After 3 minutes turn off burner, cover and allow to steep on the stove top for ten minutes.

Take your previously sterilized, 1 quart Mason jars (use only the blue or green tinted jars, NEVER clear, also as stated above) and slowly pour the electricity into each jar. Cap the jars immediately. Be sure to store in a cool, dark, dry location, away from any appliances.

Remember to place a sheet of glass over your work area in the event you spill any as electricity will discolor most counter tops.

The next time our power goes out, we go in the pantry, get a few jars out, set them by the breaker panel and un-cap them one at a time as needed.

We have used "canned" electricity up to 2 years after canning and it still smells as fresh as the day we canned it.

I suggest that instead of attempting to store the energy the OP look into adapting demand to use the energy as it is produced. This will keep the energy from escaping or going bad while it is in storage. This also eliminates the cost of warehousing the stored energy.

While couched in humor, the suggestion is a good one. Try to use the electricity when it is produced--consider using excess electricity to heat domestic hot water--even an additional tank. Or cool your home, even excessively, with the idea that the temperature might rise later in the day, but not so high as to be uncomfortable. Etc.

Put it in Leyden jars.

Another way not yet mentioned: flywheel storage.

Tornado wrote: Put it in Leyden jars.

Wonderful answer--I completely forgot about Leyden jars--that would have been the perfect first response when the topic veered off into canning electricity and such.

I'd give you a good answer, but it is sort of OT--heck, I might give you a good answer anyway...

(Of course, flywheel storage is good as well, so I guess I can justify a GA (to myself).)

Same here, forgot about them "other" canning jars

GA

A 40+ year old physics class memory--I forget how many farads, but pretty impressive.

After getting a belt off a Wimshurst machine playing at schoolboy physics, I'd rather forget how good leyden jars are.
It bl*^dy hurt!
Like you Tornado, it was 40 years ago. Due to health and safety laws kids aren't allowed fun toys in schools now.

Dear,

You gave a very good link worth an answer to the original thread.GA

Dilithium crystals and ZPMs seem to work fine.

Google "Dinorwig pumped storage scheme".