The Economic Goldmine of Energy Storage

The concepts of solar, wind, and even water energy as a renewable power sources are not new by any stretch of the imagination. The sticking point for all of them has always been the same: the most reliable and economic way to store energy for later demand usage. The sun beats down during the day giving heat and light; there is less demand for electricity for lights and other items during the day when we are away from home at jobs and at school.

When we come home however, we like to have lights so that we do not bump into the furniture in the dark, and we like to be able to turn on the television for entertainment. Unfortunately, we do not have the sun to give us solar power at night; this means that we must be able to store that energy during the daytime to use when the sun has gone down. After all, no one has developed lunar power.

The best method for efficient, cost effective solar energy storage may be to store the heat in a solar thermal plant instead of storing the energy from the sun's rays in a battery. A solar thermal plant creates energy by "boiling water into steam and spinning a turbine" (Wald 2008). By harnessing and storing this power, the owner of a solar thermal plant could then sell this power.

New methods of building the best and most profitable energy storage systems are being explored every day. One method that looks hopeful is the salt tank system. "Molten salt can reach extremely high temperatures without reaching high pressure" (Wald 2008). This means that the salt can be stored in a tank and heated as much or as often as needed without the fear of it building enough pressure to expand, breach, or burst the holding tank.

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There are some drawbacks to the use of a thermal solar plant. The molten salt system can be housed in a tower, which is limited only by the size of the actual tower. Another system stores the salt in pipes which must be warmed constantly or the salt settles and becomes solid, clogging the pipes.

A photovoltaic plant can lose its power on cloudy or rainy days. This is a big concern in some areas, not as big in others. The amount of power that can be lost will vary but it can be enough to cause an energy provider some deep concern.

If you are looking to start a small business, perhaps one you can operate from home, and that has potential for growth, then an enterprise that ticks all of these boxes is battery reconditioning. The reasons for this is that in the next few years demand for battery storage is going to grow. This is because home renewable energy like solar, and wind, need somewhere to store power that they create. This stored power is used if the sun isn't shining, or the wind isn't blowing.

If you want to learn how to recondition rechargeable batteries, and also find some top tips on where to get cheap deep cycle batteries, for home renewable energy storage, then read on.

Usage in home energy projects.

Often the most expensive component of a renewable energy system is the storage battery bank. This bank will usually comprise of a number of deep cycle lead-acid batteries. The number of batteries needed will depend on the expected power usage, but it will be anything from ten upwards. These batteries are not cheap, and they don't last forever.

So as more and more people "go green," and start producing their own clean power, you can imagine how much demand their will be for cheap deep cycle batteries, and also for someone who can recondition existing battery banks.

What is a deep cycle lead-acid battery?

Deep cycle refers to the fact that this kind of battery is designed to go from fully charged to almost flat, and produce a steady current all through this range. Unlike automotive style batteries that are designed to remain almost fully charged all the time, and produce a high starting current to the engine.

Free batteries.

Deep cycle batteries are found in golf carts, or wheelchairs, and are used for marine applications like running electrical equipment in boats. The great news is that you can probably pick up ones that you can recondition for free, from golf clubs, or boat yards. This is because once they no longer hold charge most people just replace them, and consign the old ones to the dump. They will be only too pleased to let you take them away.

Testing.

Most of the batteries you get this way can be restored. However the first job is to test them, as a few will prove to be faulty. This test involves giving them a charge, and using a tool you can make yourself to check each plate to make sure it is functioning well. Once yours passes this test you can start the reconditioning process.

Reconditioning.

Reconditioning them involves removing sulfation from the plates, and replacing or rejuvenating the fluid, (electrolyte.) Substances found in these kinds of units can be harmful, and so it is important that you take some safety precautions. Everything you will need however can be found locally, and your whole kit will cost very little. Your start-up costs will be more than covered from your first few sales.

As you can see learning how to recondition rechargeable batteries, and starting a service providing cheap deep cycle batteries for home renewable energy storage, is one that will be more and more in demand. Plus by giving these batteries a longer life you keep them out of landfill, so you will be helping the environment too.