Salt caves have been turned into underground clean-energy “batteries”

German company Augwind Energy has introduced the AirBattery system — an innovative solution for storing clean energy in salt caverns in Germany. Compressed air is pumped underground, where it is stored in stable conditions, and then used to generate electricity.

The potential is enormous: more than 400 salt caverns could store enough energy to cover up to 65% of the country’s annual electricity consumption. At the same time, the technology requires minimal resources and can operate for decades without losing efficiency. This is especially valuable for balancing renewable sources — it addresses the problem of the “seasonal gap.”

Green energy faces the challenge of the variability of sun and wind, so reliable storage systems are needed reliable energy storage systems. AirBattery could become a dependable alternative to traditional lithium-ion batteries and pumped-storage hydropower plants, which are expensive, limited in lifespan and lose energy over time. That, in turn, would make renewables a real alternative to conventional energy.