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What are the environmental benefits of the Iowa Stored Energy Park?
ISEP will make clean, environmentally friendly energy. With energy demand continuing to grow, utilities are considering supplementing their conventional energy resources with alternative energy sources. ISEP will help them to maintain a reliable energy supply for the future.
How would ISEP affect air emissions?
ISEP is good for our children and good for the planet. It will reduce emissions of mercury that put the health of our children at risk and it will reduce emissions of greenhouse gasses.
Who will use the electricity generated at ISEP?
ISEP energy will be made available to municipal utility companies in and near Iowa, providing an affordable, environmentally friendly energy alternative. If they don’t use all of the electricity from ISEP from time to time, the remainder would be available for sale to other utilities, including major investor-owned utilities.
How will the Iowa Stored Energy Park benefit Iowa’s electricity customers?
ISEP will help even out energy prices by bringing more wind energy to consumers. Because ISEP will get much of its energy from clean, renewable wind facilities, Iowa utilities and customers will reduce the effects of fluctuations in fossil fuel prices.
What will the ISEP site look like?
The facility will be a state-of-the-art structure, meeting today’s highest standards for environmental protection. This modern facility will showcase the latest equipment and innovative technology. Wind turbines producing the wind energy will be located where there are superior wind characteristics, and the CAES facility will be located where the geology is most suitable for underground storage.
Where will ISEP be built?
The Iowa CAES site will be located near the optimal geological site for storing air, with wind turbines near the best wind resources.
When will ISEP be built?
Testing and analysis of the ability to store the air underground is being conducted at potential locations. When the results from the studies are completed, the project will move into the design phase, with procurement and construction to follow. It is anticipated this electricity will be available to utilities and their customers in 2011.
Who will pay for ISEP?
The Iowa Stored Energy Park is a power supply project being developed by more than 100 municipal utilities located in Iowa, Minnesota and the Dakotas, with additional funding from the Federal Department of Energy. The owners of the project will pay for construction.
Where else is underground air storage used?
Currently, cavern air storage is in use in two other CAES locations: a 110 MW facility in Alabama and a 290 MW facility in Germany. Using similar storage methods, natural gas is stored underground in many locations around the world, including several locations in Iowa.
How would ISEP use existing, proven technologies?
ISEP’s unique operating characteristics combine traditional technology with today’s innovative energy production and storage methods. The CAES facilities use well-proven and highly reliable equipment.
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