Cryogenic storage using liquid air at -196°C
LAES systems cool air to cryogenic temperatures (-196°C) to liquefy it, storing it in insulated tanks. When power is needed, liquid air is pumped, heated, and expanded through turbines. Waste heat and cold are recycled to improve efficiency.
LAES uses the cryogenic refrigeration cycle: air is filtered, compressed, cooled, and expanded through a cryogenic turbine until it liquefies at -196°C. Liquid air is stored in low-pressure insulated tanks. For discharge, liquid air is pumped to high pressure, heated (using stored heat from compression or industrial waste heat), and expanded through turbines to generate electricity. Highview Power's CRYOBattery system includes cold and heat stores to boost round-trip efficiency to 60-70%.
Cryogenic liquefaction train: 25-35% | Turbine/generator: 20-30% | Thermal storage (hot + cold): 15-25% | Liquid air tanks: 10-15% | Power conversion: 5-10% | Balance of plant: 10-15%
LAES is gaining traction as a geographically flexible long-duration storage solution. Highview Power's deployments in the UK and US demonstrate commercial viability. Co-location with industrial sites that provide waste heat can significantly boost economics.