Wind and solar power production through a Green Island Energy
One of the great difficulties of solar or wind energy is that it works only when there is sun or the wind blows. Thus, to ensure production at all times is essential to create ways of storage. This is what we intend to do with the artificial island, which work by pumping water to balance the energy system.
The idea is being developed by a group of architects and engineers Danish architectural firm of Ottilie Paludal and the National Laboratory for Sustainable Energy Rios Technical University of Denmark, who want to build artificial islands for storing energy. However, the initiative aims that this system also works in other parts of the world such as China, India, Bahrain and California.
The procedure is similar to that used for conventional hydro power, but with characteristics of renewable energy, sea water would go to a kind of lake-dam built on the island and when demand is low, for example At night, the wind turbine driven pumping empty the reservoir. In times of increased activity, the water returns to the reservoir through turbines that generate electricity to meet demand. Because the dam is already in the water, it is necessary to create two reservoirs at different heights.
According to preliminary analysis, the size of the islands could be between 1.5 and 45 square kilometers with a capacity to store energy from 800 to 35,000 MW h. Depending on their location and size could also accommodate housing, parks, etc.
The Danish project still needs to be studied, so the geological analysis, trade and economic might take three years, the island becoming a reality in a period of no less than seven or eight years. However, the advantage lies in being a system known so it is not very difficult to implement, while it would be extremely positive for the environment by relying on the world’s most abundant resource: water sea. Projects such as Ilsa Verde show that with hard work and commitment can achieve a definitive shift towards sustainable production.