The round-trip efficiency (RTE) of Liquid Air Energy Storage (LAES) typically ranges around 50–60% for large-scale standalone systems. This efficiency can be significantly improved to above 70% when waste heat and/or waste cold are integrated into the system. For example, by utilizing industrial waste heat during discharge or waste cold during recharging, LAES plants can boost their efficiency substantially beyond the baseline figure.
In comparison, lithium-ion batteries generally have higher round-trip efficiencies, commonly around 85–95%. This makes lithium-ion batteries more efficient at converting stored energy back into usable electricity. The higher efficiency of lithium-ion batteries stems from their electrochemical nature, which typically incurs fewer losses than thermodynamic processes like LAES.
Summary Comparison
| Storage Technology | Round-Trip Efficiency Typical Range | Notes on Efficiency Improvement |
|---|---|---|
| Liquid Air Energy Storage | 50–60% (standalone) | Can exceed 70% with waste heat or waste cold integration |
| Lithium-Ion Batteries | 85–95% | Electrochemical storage, inherently higher efficiency |
Key Points
- LAES is promising for large-scale and long-duration storage due to its scalability and ability to integrate waste heat/cold, improving efficiency beyond 70% in some cases.
- Lithium-ion batteries excel in efficiency but face challenges with very large-scale or long-term storage because of higher costs and resource constraints.
- LAES systems, while lower in efficiency in standalone mode, offer flexibility by harnessing industrial waste streams to enhance energy recovery and reduce operational costs.
Thus, while lithium-ion batteries offer superior round-trip efficiency, LAES provides a competitive and complementary solution especially in contexts where waste heat or cold is available to improve its thermodynamic cycle efficiency.
Original article by NenPower, If reposted, please credit the source: https://nenpower.com/blog/how-does-the-round-trip-efficiency-of-laes-compare-to-lithium-ion-batteries/
