When water reaches boiling point, steam is produced, which starts a kind of turbine that generates energy.
Thermal storage of solar energy can be ensured in various ways. For example, by means of thermal accumulators, made of materials capable of maintaining heat for longer.
Heat pumps can also be used, where energy is stored list of zambia consumer email using refrigerants and compressors. Or, if you prefer, you can use systems that transfer heat from a hot liquid to a cold one.
Mechanical storage
Mechanical storage is based on the kinetic energy produced by the movement of bodies. In these cases, the excess energy is transformed into mechanical energy to then generate electricity. In other words, a double transformation occurs.
On the one hand, the electrical energy produced by the plates is transformed into mechanical energy. This is then transformed back into electricity to be used later.
To achieve this, you can choose between three mechanical energy storage systems, which are the most common:
, producing electricity to meet the demand for energy consumption during the night. The flywheel spins rapidly and brakes, so that the energy produced by braking is transmitted to a generator where it is stored.
Hydroelectric pump. In this case, water is pumped into a reservoir so that it flows through turbines and produces electrical energy.
Compressed air. The third mechanical solar energy storage system is based on pumping compressed air into larger reservoirs. The release of air itself helps produce electricity.
Solar batteries
Storing surplus energy in batteries is perhaps the most widely used method today. There are different types of batteries that we will now detail, but the general operation is the same.
Energy is stored by pumping solar energy directly into the battery cells, which can transform it into electricity. In this way, the accumulation of energy allows it to be progressively released at times when production stops, acting independently of the electrical grid.
As we have mentioned, there are different types of batteries, although the ones most commonly used to store solar energy are the following:
Lithium-ion batteries.
