Compressed Air Energy Storage (CAES) in an Aquifer—A Case History

ABSTRACT The CAES aquifer experiment is a research project which draws its basic knowledge from natural gas storage in aquifers. It does however pose problems of a typical nature, namely the properties of the storage product which has a higher viscosity than natural gas, the need to cycle daily rather than seasonally and the higher temperature requirements. This paper summarizes the test activities that are being conducted at the Pittsfield Aquifer Test Site, concerning the field evaluation of a typical aquifer for storing and cycling compressed air under conditions approaching those existing in a full scale CAES operation.