Investigation of Usage of Compressed Air Energy Storage for Power Generation System Improving - Application in a Microgrid Integrating Wind Energy

Compressed air energy storage (CAES) is one of the most promising mature electrical energy storage technologies. CAES in combination with renewable energy generators connected to the main grid or installed at isolated loads (remote areas for example) are a viable alternative to others energy storage technologies. Indeed, because of the advantage of fast response, high economic performance and small environmental impacts, CAES has an extensive application prospect. In this paper, recent technological advances in CAES are examined. This review includes an examination of the different topologies of power systems integrating CAES and wind turbines (as power source), an overview of air and thermal storage systems, and an examination of CAES in a distributed application such as wind-diesel compressed air hybrid system used to supply the remote areas. (C) 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.