Caracas coal-to-electricity energy storage device

Can coal power plants be converted into energy storage and zero-carbon data centers?

This paper investigates a retrofitting strategy that turns coal power plants into thermal energy storage (TES) and zero-carbon data centers (DCs). The proposed capacity expansion model considers the co-locations of DCs, local renewable genera-tion, and energy storage with the system-level coal retirement and retrofitting.

Why should we convert coal-fired power plants into energy storage systems?

For instance, in the United States, converting coal-fired power plants into energy storage systems provides economic benefits, including reduced decommissioning costs, job preservation, enhanced grid reliability, and smoother integration of renewable energy.

How can energy storage be used in a power plant?

For example, wind farms often generate more power at night when winds speeds are high but demand for electricity is low. Electric energy storage could be used to shift this output to periods of high demand. Similarly, storage could capture excess overnight generation from a baseload nuclear power plant.

How can we repurpose coal power plants into storage systems?

Pathways for repurposing coal power plants into storage systems through Carnot Batteries schemes (Chile). Feasibility study of retrofitting Coal Power Plants in Chile (Chile). Conversion of the Guacolda thermoelectric plant to green ammonia (Chile).