This report extends an earlier characterization of long-duration and short-duration energy storage technologies to include life-cycle cost analysis. Energy storage technologies were examined for three application categories--bulk energy storage, distributed generation, and power quality--with significant variations in discharge time and storage capacity. More than 20 different technologies were considered and figures of merit were investigated including capital cost, operation and maintenance, efficiency, parasitic losses, and replacement costs. Results are presented in terms of levelized annual cost, $/kW-yr. The cost of delivered energy, cents/kWh, is also presented for some cases. The major study variable was the duration of storage available for discharge.

The initial work in a program at Stanford to develop laser-based combustion diagnostics has focused on tunable laser absorption spectroscopy using an infrared diode laser. An important aspect of this program is the validation of the laser technique under controlled conditions and by comparison with established probe-based methods. This paper reports preliminary results from such experiments, which consisted of CO concentration measurements in a flat premixed flame using a tunable diode laser, and both CO and CO2 measurements in a similar flame using an uncooled, aerodynamically quenched quartz sampling probe. CO was chosen for this study for several reasons: it is an important flame species whose concentration can be predicted under equilibrium conditions which prevail in the post-flame region of fuel-rich flames; its concentration in combustion products can be easily varied from 10 ppm to greater than 10%, a range which is compatible with commercial NDIR instruments; and it has a well-understood infrared absorption spectrum which simplifies analysis of the absorption measurements.

Abstract This article discusses briefly the status of energy storage technologies and explores opportunities for their application in the rapidly changing US energy marketplace. Traditionally, electric utility energy storage has been used to store low-priced purchased or generated electric energy for later sale or use when energy cost would otherwise be much higher. But deregulation and restructuring in the electric industry, coupled with an expanding portfolio of storage alternatives, may lead to many new opportunities for energy storage, especially within the energy distribution infrastructure, and for maintaining or providing power quality at large customer sites. Small, modular, robust energy storage technologies could be used to solve a range of energy supply and infrastructure-related needs. This article provides quantitative evidence of utility-related energy storage status, benefits, and opportunities.